S'•^^;v■.^•^^^^^^;■^;^^x■. 


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rOR  ASHES. 


3.6.2-2, 


LIBRARY  OF  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


BV  4253  .D55  1878 
Dickson,  Alexander. 
Beauty  for  ashes 


V, 


'  L 


BEAUTY   FOR   ASHES. 


ALL    ABOUT    JESUS. 

BY    THE 

REV.   ALEXANDER   DICKSON. 

i2mo.     $2.00, 


"  The  book  is  one  of  noble,  sweet,  and  tender  sentiments,  simply,  choicely,  and 
reverently  expressed."  —  San  Frnficisco  Bulletin. 

"  It  is  especially  refreshing  to  heart  Christianity."  —  Christian  Advocate. 

"  The  most  ravishing  picture  of  the  God-Man  ever  put  on  paper,  save  by  the 
direct  agency  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  — Primitive  Christian. 

"A  work  which  a   Christian  will   delight  in."  —  Cumberland   Presbyterian 
Quarterly. 

"  It  is  like  sitting  at  the  marriage  supper,  and  reposing  on  the  bosom  of  the 
Beloved."  —  C.  H.  Balsbaugh. 

"  .Almost  incomparably  precious."  —  The  hiterior. 

"The  writer,  like  Kepler,  seems  to  be  thinking  God's  thoughts  after  God."  — 
A.  T.  Pierson,  D.D. 

'*  It  is  filled  with  the  beauties  of  holiness."  —  Episcopal  Recorder. 
.       "The    Scriptures    sparkle    like    diamonds    brilliantly   set   on   every  page."  — 
Christian  Intellig^encer. 

"  A  glorious  tribute  to  King  Jesus"  —  T.  L.  Cuyler,  D.D. 

"It  will  carry  grace  with  it  wherever  it  is  read  by  a  devout  heart." — Zioris 
Herald. 

"The  love  of  Jesus  runs  along  every  line." —  Troy  Daily  Whig. 

"  Inspired  by  eloquence  drawn  from  Holy  Writ  "  — Chrisiiatt  Standard. 

"  It  breathes  a  spirit  of  intense  consecration."  — Albany  Eveniftg  Journal. 

"  The  style  befits  the  topic,  going  from  heart  to  heart  with  only  the  logic  of 
love."  —  Presbyterian  at  Work. 

"  It  is  a  real  love  offering."  —  Morning  Star. 

"  We  wish  a  copy  of  the  work  could  be  put  in  every  Christian  household." — 
MessiaJt  s  Herald. 


ROBERT   CARTER   AND   BROTHERS, 

530  Broadway,  New  York. 


Beauty   for   Ashes, 


BY 

ALEXANDER   DICKSON, 

AUTHOR    OF    "all    ABOUT    JESUS." 


"A  Crown  for  Ashes."  —  Isa.lxi.'^.     The  Vidgaie. 


NEW     YORK: 
ROBERT   CARTER   AND   BROTHERS, 

530  Broadway. 
1878. 


Copyright, 

By  Robert  Carter  &  Brothers. 

1878. 


Cambridge  : 
Press  of  John   Wilson  &>  Son. 


I    BELIEVE    IN 

THE     COMMUNION     OF     SAINTS, 

AND    DEDICATE   THIS    BOOK 
TO 

M^  JFrfentis  m  f^eaben. 

"these  are  they 

WHICH    CAME     OUT     OF     GREAT     TRIBULATION, 

AND    HAVE    WASHED    THEIR     ROBES, 

AND   MADE   THEM    WHITE 

IN 


iRev. 


"  THE   SPIRIT   OF   THE   LORD   GOD 

IS    UPON   ME  ; 

BECAUSE  THE  LORD  HATH  ANOINTED  ME  TO  PREACH 

GOOD  TIDINGS  UNTO  THE  MEEK; 

HE  HATH  SENT  ME 

TO   BIND   UP   THE   BROKEN-HEARTED, 

TO   PROCLAIM   LIBERTY   TO   THE   CAPTIVES, 

AND 

THE  OPENING  OF  THE  PRISON  TO  THEM  THAT  ARE  BOUND; 

TO  PROCLAIM  THE  ACCEPTABLE  YEAR  OF  THE  LORD, 

AND  THE  DAY  OF  VENGEANCE  OF  OUR  GOD  ; 

TO  COMFORT  ALL  THAT  MOURN  ; 

TO  APPOINT  UNTO  THEM  THAT  MOURN  IN  ZION, 

TO  GIVE  UNTO  THEM  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES, 

THE  OIL  OF  JOY  FOR  MOURNING, 

THE  GARMENT  OF  PRAISE  FOR  THE  SPIRIT  OF  HEAVINESS; 

THAT  THEY  MIGHT  BE  CALLED 

TREES  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS, 

THE  PLANTING  OF  THE  LORD,  THAT  HE  MIGHT  BE 

GLORIFIED." 

Isa.  Ixi.  1-3. 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS. 


I.  The  Travelling  Stranger ii 

II.   Marah  and  Elim 31 

III.  Elim  and  Marah 55 

IV.  Our  Light  Affliction 75 

V.  Anticipating  Trouble 107 

VI.  Our  Sure  Supplies  ....  .  -  ^S^ 

VII.  The  Song  of  Sorrows 153 

VIII.  The  Beautiful  Clouds 187 

IX.  The  Thorn  in  the  Flesh 209 

X.  The  Happy  Mourners  .     .     . 253 

XI.  Waiting  and  Working .285 

XII.   Glory  in  Tribulation 309 

XIII.  The  Fearful  Things  we  Fear 329 

XIV.  The  Fear  of  Fearful  Things 351 

XV.  Crossing  the  Jordan 371 

XVI.   Our  Heavenly  Home 405 


THE  TRAVELLING    STRANGER. 


BEAUTY   FOR   ASHES. 


CHAPTER    I. 

"/  am  a  stranger  with  Thee,  and  a  sojourner,  as  all  my  fathers 
were.'''' — PSALM  xxxix.   12. 

COULD  we  hear  the  descendant  of  some  Siberian 
exile,  after  gazing  long  and  sadly  over  the  icy 
wastes  that  lay  between  him  and  the  land  he  has 
been  taught  to  love,  speak  these  words  to  his  weep- 
ing brother  near  him ;  or  could  we  hear  them  moaned 
ont  by  some  poor  slave  to  his  fellow-slave,  as  the 
weary  days  went  slowly  by,  they  would  not  surprise 
us  so  much:  because  the  language  then  would  be  in 
exact  correspondence  with  the  outward  condition  of 
the  speakers. 

But  he  wlio  gave  them  utterance  originally  was 
neither  an  exile  nor  a  slave;  but,  strange  as  it  may 
seem,  was  one  to  whom  princes  bowed  in  reverence, 
and  a  mighty  nation  was  obedient.  The  marks  and 
emblems  of  royalty  were  round  about  him.  A  stately 
palace,  to  build  and  beautify  which  Lebanon  had 
been  shorn  of  its  choicest  cedars  and  Opliir  had 
bled  its  purest  gold,  reared  its  fretted  roof  above  his 
crowned  head;  a  shining  sceptre  was  in  his  hand, 
and  owning  him  for  king,  with  loving  loyalty,  Jeru- 
salem and  all  the  pleasant  land  of  Palestine,  now  rich 


12  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

to  overflowing  with  material  wealth,  delighted  to  do 
him  honor.  And  yet,  compassed  about  with  all  these 
signs  of  permanence,  crowned  King  David  says,  "  I 
am  a  stranger." 

Looking  out  from  the  latticed  window  of  his  impe- 
rial mansion,  he  could  see  the  strong  tower  which  he 
himself  had  builded  for  an  armory;  the  burnished 
housetops  that  broke,  like  waves,  beside  it;  and  the 
massive  Avails  that  in  their  rough,  strong  setting  closed 
round  "The  joy  of  the  wdiole  earth "^  like  a  jewel. 
And  still  further  on  beyond,  he  could  catch  the  glim- 
mer of  that  goodly  land,  which  was  "the  glory  of  all 
lands,"  ^  now  groaning  beneath  its  blessed  burden  of 
"milk  and  honey";  and  glowing  with  more  golden 
tints  than  gladdened  the  eye  of  Moses,  wdien  his 
dying  gaze  was  fixed  upon  it  from  "the  top  of 
Pisgah."' 

Seeing  all  this,  David  might  have  felt  and  said, 
"This  goodly  land  is  mine,  this  is  my  continuing 
city,  this  is  my  abiding  home :  here  will  I  dwell  and 
delight  myself  all  the  days  of  my  life."  But  witli  a 
truer  feeling,  and  a  more  faithful  utterance,  he  turns 
his  eyes  away  from  these  vanities,  and  lifts  up  his 
voice  to  his  companion  God,  saying,  "I  am  a  stranger 
with  Thee,  and  a  sojourner,  as  all  my  fathers  were." 
His  heart  was  not  at  home  amid  the  glories  that  sur- 
rounded him ;  but,  Aveary  Avith  the  loneliness  of  roy- 
alty, it  panted  for  that  highest  and  happiest  home 
where  it  might  be  at  rest  indeed,  and  iu'  truth, 
and  forever.  Earth  Avas  its  sojourning  place ;  heaven 
»  Lam.  ii.  15.  2  Ezek.  xx.  6.  =*  Deut.  xxxiv.  1. 


THE   TRAVELLING  STRANGER.  1 3 

tlie  abiding  city  towards  Avliich  all  its  aspiration  and 
its  effort  tended. 

Such  strangers,  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  were 
Abraham  and  Isaac  and  Jacob,  the  pilgrim  fathers 
spoken  of  in  the  text  who  "  sojourned  in  the  land  of 
promise,  as  in  a  strange  country."^  The  altar  and 
the  pillar,  the  staff  and  the  tent,  were  indeed  their 
true,  and  often  their  only,  possessions;  "with  my 
staff  I  passed  over  this  Jordan ; "  ^  and  by  their 
daily  lives  and  visible  movements  they  proved  the 
characters  to  which  they  were  called:  "For  they 
that  say  such  things  declare  plainly  that  they  seek 
a  country."* 

Such  strangers  are  Christians  now,  for  Christian 
experience  is  mainly  the  same  everywhere  and  in  all 
ages.  When  by  the  grace  of  God  we  are  passing 
over  from  the  "  old  man "  into  the  "  new  man,"  the 
heart  beats  responsively  at  every  step  to  tlie  lan- 
guage of  the  text.  No  outward  sign  of  moving  tent, 
or  wayworn  feet,  or  supporting  staff,  may  mark  its 
progress;  but  in  its  inner  life,  and  along  the  pil- 
grimage of  personal  experience,  these  things  are  as 
truly  represented  as  in  the  early  nomadic  days.  And 
although  about  the  Christian  now,  as  about  the  life 
of  David,  there  may  seem  to  gather  attachments,  and 
earth  to  wear  a  look  of  permanence,  still,  in  his  heart 
of  hearts,  he  feels  as  David  felt,  that  he  is  a  stranger 
here  and  a  sojourner. 

In   the   character  thus   portrayed   the  true  Chris- 
tian finds  his  counterpart,  and  lifted  into  a  standard, 
1  Heb.  xi.  9.  2  Gen.  xxxii.  10.  3  Heb.  xi.  14. 


14  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

the  confession  in  the  text  becomes  the  test  of  his 
sincerity. 

In  a  broad  and  comprehensive  sense,  it  is  true  of  all 
the  inhabitants  of  the  world,  that  they  are  strangers 
and  sojourners  on  its  surface.  The  present  generation 
knows  not  the  generation  that  preceded  it,  nor  can 
it  tell  the  features  of  the  generation  that  is  to  come 
after  it.  From  his  birth  to  his  burial  man  lives  in 
a  strange  land.  He  wanders  to  and  fro,  gazing  cu- 
riously up  at  the  dome  of  the  universe,  gilded  with 
the  light  of  suns,  or  sprinkled  with  the  dust  of  stars. 
He  looks  out  on  eternity  as  from  the  shore  of  some 
wide  sea,  watching  the  great  tide  of  life  as  it  ebbs 
and  flows  at  his  feet;  but  knoAving  nothing  of  the 
mystery  or  the  meaning  of  its  motion.  He  picks  up 
some  pebble  truth,  or  finds  the  pearly  shell  of  some 
secondary  cause,  admires,  wonders,  and  listens  to 
its  music,  but  comprehends  it  not.  He  does  not 
even  knoAv  himself,  the  language  of  his  own  being 
he  can  not  understand.  His  very  thoughts,  purposes, 
and  impulses  are  marvels  to  his  mind;  and  so,  living, 
wondering,  wandering,  toiling,  fretting,  a  stranger  to 
the  world  in  which  he  lives,  a  stranger  to  himself, 
each  lonely  individual  fills  out  his  little  sojourn  here, 
and  straight  is  seen  no  more. 

But  while  in  reality  the  character  of  the  stranger 
may  justly  attach  to  all,  it  is  peculiarly  the  Chris- 
tian's own.  He  indeed  lives  in  the  world,  but  is  not 
of  it.  By  his  first  birth  he  is  a  citizen  of  earth,  but 
by  his  second  birth  from  above,  he  becomes  a  native 
of  the  "  better  country,"  and  henceforth  heaven  is  his 


THE   TRAVELLING  STRANGER.  1 5 

home.  Beyond  time  and  space,  and  above  the  little 
hum  of  things  of  sense,  his  adoring  mind  catches  glim- 
merings of  its  distant  gloiy,  and  mnrmnrings  of  the 
blessed  music  of  its  courts.  "  I  heard  a  voice  from 
heaven,  as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the 
voice  of  a  great  thunder:  and  I  heard  the  voice  of 
harpers  harping  with  their  harps:  and  they  sung  as 
it  were  a  new  song  before  the  throne,  and  before  the 
four  beasts,  and  the  elders:  and  no  man  could  learn 
that  song  but  the  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thou- 
sand, which  were  redeemed  from  the  earth. "  ^ 

Who  wonders,  then,  in  view  of  heaven's  everlast- 
ing blessedness,  and  the  immortal  thoughts  and  de- 
lightful occupations  that  Avill  engross  him  there,  the 
Christian's  heart  should  grow  weary  with  his  resi- 
dence on  earth,  and  indijBferent  to  the  petty  schemes, 
and  cheap  concerns,  that  bubble  up  and  burst  around 
him  here?  Who  wonders  that  the  stranger  feeling, 
as  of  one  alone  in  a  foreign  land,  should  control  and 
crush  his  spirit;  "for  all  his  days  are  sorrows,"^  and 
his  sojourn  here  the  cruel  absence  from  a  happy 
home  ? 

The  home  feeling  of  the  heart !  who  does  not  know 
something  of  its  gentleness  and  its  power?  How  lov- 
ingly it  garners  up  and  invests  with  a  kind  of  sacred- 
ness  scenes  and  associations  which  but  for  it  would 
have  no  permanence  in  the  mind!  How  it  links  men 
to  localities,  binds  them  in  families,  and  becomes  the 
very  life  of  the  nation !  What  spot  on  earth  has  such 
radiant  sunshine  resting  on  it  as  that  which  gilds  and 

1  Eev.  xiv.  2,  3.  2  Eccl.  ii.  23. 


1 6  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

glorifies  the  dear  acres  round  our  early  childliood's 
home  ?  In  memorj^'s  never  fading  light  the  well,  the 
brook,  the  trees,  the  grass,  the  flowers  seem  purer, 
sweeter,  nobler,  greener,  brighter  there  than  we  have 
found  them  elsewhere,  and  we  who  played  about 
them  seem  to  ourselves  less  sinful  then  than  now. 

Home,  how  sweet  it  sounds !  What  a  bundle  of 
myrrh  it  is!  and  behold,  and  count  up  if  you  can, 
how  many  loves  are  bound  up  in  it !  There  is  a 
mother's  love,  and  a  father's  love,  and  a  sister's  love, 
and  a  brother's  love,  and  the  love  of  kindred  scarcely 
less  dear  than  a  mother's  own.  Is  it  any  wonder 
that  the  heart  should  nestle  in  a  place  so  full  of  love 
as  this,  or  that  its  recollection  is  always  so  fresh  ? 
After  years  of  absence,  from  the  uttermost  parts  of 
the  earth,  it  reaches  back  with  an  earnest  longing 
that  can  not  be  satisfied,  and  under  the  influence  of 
a  spell  that  can  not  be  broken. 

A  simple  sound,  the  sight  of  some  familiar  article, 
by  reason  of  their  home  associations  have  unmanned 
the  stoutest  hearts.  Their  native  airs,  Avhen  played 
before  them  in  foreign  countries,  have  rendered  whole 
regiments  of  fierce,  stern  soldiers  unfit  for  duty.  Even 
death  itself  has  often  followed  from  excessive  longing 
to  return  to  one's  native  land.  To  be  at  home,  is  the 
soldier's  wish  from  the  tented  field;  and  on  the  eve 
of  battle,  a  few  moments  are  snatched  from  the  busy 
hours  to  write  letters  to  the  loved  ones  at  home.  To 
be  at  home,  is  the  earnest  desire  of  the  suff'ering 
invalid,  hurrying  from  some  more  friendly  clime  to 
which  he  had  vainly  gone  in  quest  of  health;  and 


THE   TRAVELLING  STRANGER.  1/ 

nerving  every  flagging  energy,  he  dies  contented,  if 
only  he  may  catch  the  sight,  or  lay  himself  beneath 
the  old  roof-tree  at  last. 

Now,  we  need  scarcely  say  that  whatever  shows  the 
power  and  the  depth  of  feeling  binding  men  to  their 
earthly  home  illustrates  the  real  Christian's  deeper 
love  and  yearning  for  his  heavenly  home.  We  have 
always  regarded  home  as  the  best  earthly  image  of 
heaven.  It  is  that  part  of  paradise  which  was  never 
lost,  and  to  this  day  it  is  the  remnant  and  the  emblem 
of  Eden's  bliss.  Home  and  heaven  are  not  so  far  sep- 
arated as  we  sometimes  think.  Nay,  they  are  not 
separated  at  all,  for  they  are  both  in  the  same  great 
building.  Home  is  the  lower  story,  and  is  located 
down  here  on  the  ground  floor:  heaven  is  above 
stairs,  in  the  second  and  " third "^  stories;  and  as  one 
after  another  the  family  is  called  to  come  up  higher, 
that  which  seemed  to  be  such  a  strange  place  begins 
to  wear  a  familiar  aspect;  and  when  at  last  not  one 
is  left  below,  the  home  is  transferred  to  heaven,  and 
heaven  is  home.  And  while  we  are  absent  from  it, 
it  can  not  be  expected  that  we  should  be  perfectly 
happy.  Away  from  home !  away  frbm  heaven !  away 
from  our  best  Father !  away  from  our  best  Brother ! 
away  from  our  best  Comforter !  away  from  our  dear- 
est kindred,  Avho  have  gone  to  dwell  above  in  light 
and  love  and  peace  and  "joy  unspeakable  and  fall 
of  glory,"-  is  it  any  wonder  if  we  are  homesick  some- 
times; and  that  our  experience  is  that  of  a  stranger 
in  a  strange  land  ? 

«  n  Cor.  xii.  2.  2  I  Pet.  i.  8. 

2 


1 8  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

But  tlie  stranger  is  not  the  exact  image  of  tlie 
Christian.  He  is  something  more  than  a  stranger, 
and  so  another  word  is  added,  by  the  Psahnist,  to 
make  the  portrait  more  complete, — "  I  am  a  stranger 
and  a  sojourner."  This  last  word  though  near  of  kin 
to  the  first  is  not  quite  the  same.  There  is  a  shade 
of  difference  in  its  meaning,  which  will  give  a  little 
more  of  coloring  to  the  picture,  and  help  to  make  it  a 
more  lifelike  likeness  of  the  Man  of  God.  A  stranger 
is  one  who  belongs  to  another  country.  A  sojourner 
is  a  temporaiy  resident.  The  one  may  have  a  per- 
manent abode  in  a  strange  land;  but  the  moving 
tent  must  needs  be  the  habitation  of  the  other,  who 
is  always  and  everywhere  a  wayfaring  man. 

Such  being  the  signification  of  these  words,  both 
were  needed  in  order  to  describe  the  Christian,  who 
is  a  stranger  and  a  sojourner.  Or,  if  we  may  put  the 
two  words  in  one,  we  would  say,  he  is  a  pilgrim.  A 
man  with  the  shoes  on  his  feet,  the  staff  in  his  hand, 
and  the  bundle  on  his  back;  a  travelling  stranger, 
a  man  of  another  country  going  home,  a  pilgrim  on 
the  world's  highway.  His  back  is  turned  on  the 
earth,  and  his  face  is  set  towards  heaven.  Here  he 
is  a  stranger.  Up  in  heaven  he  will  be  no  more  a  for- 
eigner but  a  fellow-citizen.  Here  he  has  the  heart 
of  a  stranger.  Up  in  heaven  he  will  have  the  heart 
of  a  child  at  home.  Here  he  is  a  sojourner  and  dwells 
awhile  in  a  shelter  tent.  Up  in  heaven  he  will  be 
a  wayfaring  man  no  more,  but  abide  always  in 
the  house  of  many  mansions.  Weary-footed,  weary- 
hearted,  and  often  weeping,  is  it  any  wonder  if  he 


THE   TRAVELLING  STRANGER.  19 

longs  for  the  time  to  come,  when  he  shall  put  off  his 
pilgrim  shoes,  at  the  gate  of  heaven,  and  enter  his 
Father's  house, — his  sweetest,  best,  and  most  blessed 
home. 

Perhaps  some  of  you  may  be  able  to  sympathize 
with  him  in  his  earnest  desire  to  reach  the  heavenly 
country.  You  had  been  away  from  home  for  a  long 
season,  and  you  can  not  forget  how  anxious  you 
were  to  return,  especially  after  the  journey  was  com- 
menced. The  swiftest  conveyance  was  too  slow  for 
you,  when  you  were  coming  home  to  hear  your  fa- 
ther's welcome,  your  mother's  soft,  sweet,  loving  voice, 
and  your  sister's  gentle  greeting.  To  your  heart  the 
wings  of  love  were  given,  «ind  it  went  on  ahead,  and, 
in  the  special  express  train,  you  were  slowly  coming 
after.  But  that  sweet  home  is  not  half  so  sweet  as 
heaven.  It  may  be  happy  now,  but  it  must  be  un- 
happy in  a  little  while.  Not  many  days  hence  the 
cheerful  circle  will  be  in  tears  around  an  empty  cradle, 
or  in  an  empty  chamber. 

Come  with  me  to  a  father's  house,  it  may  be  your 
father's  house,  we  will  tarry  but  a  moment.  It  is  the 
morning  of  Thanksgiving  Day.  The  children  and 
the  children's  children  are  all  come  home  to  keep  the 
feast.  All  did  I  say  ?  Let  me  turn  to  the  family  rec- 
ord in  the  old  family  Bible,  and  call  their  names  and 
see.  Joseph?  "Joseph  is  not."  Simeon?  "Simeon 
is  not."^  And,  sorer  still,  there  is  a  prophetic  flush 
on  his  cheek  that  threatens  to  take  dear  little  Benja- 
min away. 

»  Gen.  xlii.  36. 


20  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

Such  is  the  earthly  home.  To-day  the  golden  chain 
is  unbroken,  and  every  chair  is  occupied.  All  the 
"  olive  plants "  ^  are  grooving  round  about  the  table, 
beautiful  and  goodly  to  look  to.  To-morrow  one  is 
missing  here,  and  another  is  missing  there.  But  the 
heavenly  home  is  always  happy.  Not  one  is  missing 
there.  There  is  no^time  there  "to  pluck  up  that 
which  is  planted."^  There  is  no  cemetery  near  the 
New  Jerusalem,  nor  are  there  any  graves  anywhere 
in  the  "better  country."  And  the  house  of  many 
mansions  will  never  be  a  house  of  mourning.  "  God 
shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes;  and  there 
shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying, 
neither  shall  there  be  anymore  pain:  for  the  former 
things  are  passed  away."^  "They  shall  not  hunger 
nor  thirst;  neither  shall  the  heat  nor  sun  smite  them: 
for  He  that  hath  mercy  on  them  shall  lead  them, 
even  by  the  springs  of  water  shall  He  guide  tliem."  * 

But  the  best,  the  brightest,  and  the  most  beauti- 
ful gem  yet  remains  to  be  taken  from  the  casket  of 
the  text.  The  previous  thoughts  were  pearls,  and 
very  precious,  but  this  last  is  the  most  precious  of 
all,  "  I  am  a  stranger  with  Thee." 

With  whom  ?  with  my  pilgrim  companions  by  the 
way?  No.  With  those  who  are  at  home  in  my 
house?  Not  so:  "I  am  a  stranger  with  Thee,"  my 
best  Father  in  heaven,  my  best  Friend  upon  earth. 
A  stranger  with  God.  What  a  transporting  thought ! 
What  a  great  and  glorious  truth!     King  David  was 

J  Ps.  cxxviii.  3.  2  EccI.  iii.  2. 

3  Eev.  xxi.  4.  ^  iga.  xlix.  10. 


THE   TRAVELLING  STRANGER.  21 

on  his  bended  knees,  his  face  was  turned  up  toward 
heaven,  when  this  bundle  of  myrrli  fell  from  his 
anointed  lips:  "Hear  my  prayer,  0  Lord,  and  give 
ear  unto  my  cry;  hold  not  thy  peace  at  my  tears: 
for  I  am  a  stranger  Avith  Thee,  and  a  sojourner,  as 
all  my  fathers  Avere." 

This  part  of  the  text  presents  on  its  surface  this 
splendid,  soul-filling,  and  sublime  truth: 

"Awake,  asleep,  at  home,  abroad, 
I  am  surrounded  still  with  God." 

Blessed  be  His  name,  He  is  near  enough  to  hear  my 
lowest  whisper;  and  plenteous  enough  to  supply  all 
my  wants.  His  wisdom  is  mine  to  direct  me  in  the 
way  that  I  should  go,  and  His  power  is  mine  to  pro- 
tect me  in  the  time  of  danger;  "For  the  Lord  God 
is  a  sun  and  shield:  the  Lord  will  give  grace  and 
glory:  no  good  thing  will  He  Avithhold  from  them 
that  walk  uprightly."^  This  is  the  surface  thought 
of  these  words  of  David's  prayer:  "I  am  a  stranger 
with  Thee."  It  floats  and  shines  like  amber  on  the 
ocean,  and  when  we  are  strangers  in  a  strange  land, 
it  is  confessedly  comforting  to  think,  to  feel,  and  to 
know  that  we  are  guided  and  guarded  by  that  God 
who  hath  promised  to  "Keep  the  feet  of  His  saints,"^ 
and  make  their  shoes  out  of  "iron  and  brass,"'  and 
who  is  always  saying  unto  them,  "There  shall  not  a 
hair  of  your  head  perish."* 

But,  deeper  down  in  the  text,  there  is  a  dearer 

1  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  11.  2  1  Sam.  ii.  9. 

3  Deut.  xxxiii  25.  •*  Luke  xxi.  18. 


22  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

thought  than  this.  "I  am  a  stranger  with  Thee:" 
that  is,  if  I  may  express  it  so,  Thou,  my  God,  art  my 
travelHng  companion,  "alone,  and  yet  I  am  not  alone, 
because  the  Father  is  with  me ; "  ^  the  Father  of  my 
Lord  Jesus,  and  my  Father.  He  shares  my  pilgrim- 
age, and  helps  me  over  every  hill  of  difficulty.  "Who 
is  this  that  cometh  up  from  the  wilderness,  leaning 
upon  her  Beloved  ?  "  ^ 

You  remember  when  the  two  burdened  and  bro- 
ken-hearted disciples  were  returning  to  the  village 
of  Emmaus,  "Jesus  Himself  drcAV  near,  and  went 
with  them."^  And  as  they  walked  their  sorrow  was 
turned  into  joy.  The  engaging  and  entertaining 
Stranger  charmed  away  their  sadness,  and  changed 
their  pain  into  pleasure.  His  timely  and  tender  con- 
versation, concerning  Himself,  caused  their  hearts  to 
burn  within  them,  and  before  they  were  aware  they 
were  at  their  journey's  end.  And  we  need  not  tell 
.you  that  an  agreeable  travelling  companion  will 
smooth  the  roughest  road,  and  make  it  seem  much 
shorter  than  it  really  is. 

One  of  the  brightest  pages  in  the  Old  Testament 
is  that  Avhicli  records  the  affectionate  friendship  of 
David  and  his  Jonathan.  They  loved  each  other,  as 
they  loved  their  own  souls,  and  seemed  to  have  but 
one  heart  and  one  mind.  They  lived  for  each  other, 
and  labored  for  each  other  with  a  self-sacrificing 
spirit,  as  remarkable  as  it  is  rare;  and  it  was  the 
chief  end  of  each,  to  promote  the  other  s  happiness. 
And  when  David  learned  that  his  leal-hearted  friend 
>  John  xvi.  32.        2  Oant.  viii.  5.        3  Luke  xxiv.  15. 


THE    TRAVELLING   STRANGER.        '  23 

was  slain  in  battle,  in  that  lamentation,  every  letter 
of  which  seems  a  tear,  he  said,  "  I  am  distressed  for 
thee,  my  brother  Jonathan:  very  pleasant  hast  thou 
been  unto  me:  thy  love  to  me  was  wonderful,  pass- 
ing the  love  of  women."  ^  Without  controversy  they 
twain  were  the  truest  yoke-fellows  that  ever  shared 
each  other's  joys  and  sorrows ;  and  if  David  had  been 
speaking  to  Jonathan  in  the  text,  there  would  have 
been  much  sweet  comfort  to  the  Psalmist  in  the 
thought  that  he  had  the  companionship  of  such  a 
tried  and  never  failing-friend.  But  Jehovah  was  a 
better  friend  than  Jonathan,  and  He,  His  own  self, 
was  David's  fellow-traveller;  a  stranger,  with  the 
man  after  His  own  heart,  and  a  sojourner. 

Do  you  not  remember  well  the  manner  in  which 
the  children  of  Israel  journeyed  through  the  wilder- 
ness with  their  God  ?  The  tabernacle  and  the  tent 
travelled  both  of  them  together;  and  wherever  the 
one  was  pitched,  there  the  other  was  pitched  also; 
the  tent  always  in  the  shadow  of  the  tabernacle. 
And  have  you  not  often  read  their  morning  and 
evening  prayer  while  on  their  march  ?  How  as  the 
ark  set  forward  Moses  said,  "  Rise  up,  Lord,  and  let 
thine  enemies  be  scattered:  and  let  them  that  hate 
Thee  flee  before  Thee :  "  ^  just  as  if  Jehovah  had  been 
tarrying  with  them  where  they  tarried;  and  He  had. 
And  how  again  when  the  ark  rested  the  prayer  went 
up,  "Return,  0  Lord,  unto  tlie  many  thousands  of 
Israel:"^  just  as  if  Jehovah  had  been  travelling  in 
their  company.  And  so  He  had;  with  His  pilgrim 
1  II  Sam.  i.  26.         2  Num.  x.  35.         3  Num.  x.  36. 


24  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

shoes  on  His  mighty  feet,  and  His  pilgrim  staff  in 
His  mighty  hand;  a  wayfaring  God  with  His  way- 
faring people  and  their  companion  in  tribulation, 
according  to  the  promise,  "My  presence  shall  go 
with  thee  and  I  will  give  thee  rest."^ 

What  then  if  we  are  in  the  wilderness !  Our 
wilderness  God  is  with  us  here  to  choose  all  our 
changes?  And  what  if  we  are  so  thoroughly  weary, 
since  we  nightly  pitch  the  moving  tent  beside  the 
moving  tabernacle,  and  both  a  day's  march  nearer 
home.  Our  pilgrim  God,  glory  be  to  His  blessed 
name,  will  have  no  temple  to  dwell  in  while  His  pil- 
grim people  have  nothing  better  than  a  tent.  It  was 
not  till  after  David  had  a  "house  of  cedars"^  that 
David's  Lord  ceased  to  dwell  "under  curtains."  "I 
have  not  dwelt  in  any  house  since  the  time  that 
I  brought  up  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt, 
even  to  this  day,  but  have  walked  in  a  tent  and  in  a 
tabernacle." ' 

It  is  a  pleasant  Hebrew  fancy  that  gives  to  every 
child  of  God  a  guardian  angel  to  attend  him  in  all 
his  ways.  It  is  a  precious  Scripture  truth  that  the 
angels  are  "  all  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to  min- 
ister for  them  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation."*  As 
we  pitch  our  tents  day  after  day,  it  is  pleasant  to 
think  the  angels  encamp  round  about  us ;  but  if  we 
are  His  "peculiar  people,"'  God  Himself  is  our  Guar- 
dian Angel  and  better  to  hold  us  up,  and  help  us  on 
our  way,  than  all  the  heavenly  hosts. 

1  Exod.  xxxiii.  14.        2  i  Chron.  xvii.  1.        3  II  Sam.  vii.  6. 
4  Heb.  i.  14.  ^  i  Peter  ii.  9. 


THE   TRAVELLING  STRANGER.  25 

Dearly  beloved,  such  is  the  real  meanmg  of  the 
text,  as  we  understand  it.  Behold,  what  a  sweeten- 
ing branch  it  brings  for  all  the  bitter  waters  by  the 
way!  "Ye  know  the  heart  of  a  stranger," '  how  sad, 
how  silent  it  sometimes  is !  "  How  shall  we  sing  the 
Lord's  song  in  a  strange  land  ?  "  ^  But  our  hearts  are 
sad  and  our  harps  are  silent  only,  when  we  forget 
our  fellow  Traveller,  the  One  who  says,  "Lo,  I  am 
with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world."  ^ 

It  is  very  pleasant  to  think  that  we  are  strangers 
together.  Our  companionship  with  one  another  helps 
to  relieve  that  feeling  of  loneliness  that  often  comes 
over  us,  like  a  cloud,  and  we  can  comfort  and  cheer 
one  another  along  our  weary  earth  way.  But  this 
better,  this  blessed,  this  Bible  thought,  that  we  are 
strangers  with  God,  causes  our  brimming  cup  to  over- 
flow. Oh  how  much  better  it  is,  to  be  a  stranger 
here  with  God,  and  have  a  home  in  heaven,  than  to 
be  a  citizen  of  this  poorer  country  without  God,  and 
be  an  emigrant  in  eternity.  Dear  brethren,  I  give 
you  joy,  and  I  ask  you  to  rejoice  with  me,  because 
though  we  be  strangers  in  a  strange  land,  we  are 
going  home  and  Jehovah-Jireh,  Jehovah-Jesus,  is 
going  with  us,  and  He  will  never  leave  us  nor  for- 
sake us;  "For  this  God  is  our  God  forever  and  ever: 
He  will  be  our  guide  even  unto  death."  * 

I  may  not  close  without  a  word  of  warning  to 
myself,  and  my  companions  "in  tribulation,  and  in 
the  kingdom  and  patience  of  Jesus  Christ."  ^     Dearly 

I  Exod.  xxiii.  9.        2  pg.  cxxxvii.  4.         3  Mat.  xxviii.  20. 
4  Ps.  xlviii.  14.  «  Rev.  i.  9. 


26  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

beloved,  we  are  wayfaring  men,  and  as  such  it  is 
better  for  us  not  to  be  burdened  with  too  much  bag- 
gage. A  staff,  a  pair  of  shoes,  and  one  coat  are  all 
that  we  really  need.  Come  then,  and  "let  us  lay 
aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  which  doth  so  easily 
beset;  "^  and,  on  our  journey  home,  let  us  take  with 
us  only  such  other  things  as  we  can  conveniently 
carry.  "  A  good  conscience "  ^  is  never  cumbersome; 
and  "love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness, 
goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance,"^  are  more 
in  number,  and  better  every  way,  than  the  "six 
wings "  ■*  of  the  seraphim.  And  always  and  every- 
where, let  us  wait  on  the  Lord:  "  He  giveth  power  to 
the  faint;  and  to  them  that  have  no  might  He  in- 
creaseth  strength.  Even  the  youths  shall  faint  and 
be  weary,  and  the  young  men  shall  utterly  fall: 
but  they  that  wait  upon  the  Lord  shall  renew  their 
strength;  they  shall  mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles; 
they  shall  run,  and  not  be  weary;  and  they  shall 
walk,  and  not  faint."  ^ 

Some  strangers,  after  a  short  season  of  homesick- 
ness, are  so  bewitched  with  the  beauty  of  the  charm- 
ing country  through  which  they  are  passing,  that 
they  cast  away  the  stakes  and  curtains  of  their 
tents,  and  gather  stones  and  cut  down  trees,  and 
build  themselves  magnificent  mansions,  and  in  a 
little  while  they  lose  all  love  for  the  heavenl}^  home, 
toward  which  their  faces  once  were  set.  Strange  to 
say,  in  this  "snare  of  the  fowler,"^   King   Solomon 

1  Heb.  xii.  1.  2  Heb.  xiii.  18.  3  Gal.  v.  22,  23. 

4  Isa.  vi.  2.  5  isa.  xl.  28-31.  «  Ps.  xci.  3. 


THE    TRAVELLING  STRANGER.  2/ 

was  taken.  On  the  grandest  scale,  he  tried  to  make 
for  himself  a  happy  home  in  this  world,  and  in  the 
saddest  book  of  the  Bible  he  has  left  on  record  the 
result  of  his  experiment,  showing  clearly  that  the 
wisest  man  was  the  greatest  fool.  "  I  made  me  great 
works ;  I  builded  me  houses ;  I  planted  me  vineyards : 
I  made  me  gardens  and  orchards,  and  I  planted  trees 
in  them  of  ail  kind  of  fruits:  I  made  me  pools  of 
water,  to  water  therewith  the  wood  that  bringeth 
forth  trees :  1  got  me  servants  and  maidens,  and  had 
servants  born  in  my  house;  also  I  had  great  posses- 
sions of  great  and  small  cattle  above  all  that  were  in 
Jerusalem  before  me :  I  gathered  me  also  silver  and 
gold,  and  peculiar  treasure  of  kings  and  provinces :  I 
gat  me  men  singers  and  women  singers,  and  the 
delights  of  the  sods  of  men,  as  musical  instruments, 
and  that  of  all  sorts.  So  I  was  great,  and  increased 
more  than  all  that  were  before  me  in  Jerusalem: 
also  my  wisdom  remained  with  me.  And  Avhatsoever 
mine  eyes  desired  I  kept  not  from  them,  I  withheld 
not  my  heart  from  any  joy:  for  my  heart  rejoiced  in 
all  my  labor:  and  this  was  my  portion  of  all  my 
labor.  Then  I  looked  on  all  the  works  that  my 
hands  had  wrought,  and  on  the  labor  that  I  had 
labored  to  do :  and,  behold,  all  Avas  vanity  and  vexa- 
tion of  spirit,  and  there  was  no  profit  under  the 
sun."  ^ 

My  beloved  brethren,  if  any  of  you  are  tempted  to 
do  likewise,  let  me  warn  you  to  have  a  care  and  count 
the  cost.     "Set  your  affection  on  things  above,  not 
1  Eccl.  ii.  4-11. 


28  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

on  things  on  the  earth."  ^  Forget  not  that  you  are 
travelHng  strangers,  and  fix  not  your  habitation  here 
below,  lest  you  learn  at  last,  too  late,  and  to  your 
eternal  loss,  that  he  builds  too  low  who  builds  be- 
neath the  skies. 

"Peace  be  to  the  brethren,  and  love  with  faith, 
from  God  the  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Grace  be  with  all  them  that  love  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  in  sincerity.     Amen."^ 

»  Col.  iii.  2.  2  Eph.  vi.  22-24. 


MARAH    AND    ELIM. 


CHAPTER    II. 

''''And  when  they  came  to  Mar  ah,  they  could  not  drink  of  the  waters 
of  Marah,  for  they  were  bitter:  therefore  the  name  of  it  was  called 
Mar  ah.  And  the  people  iniir  mured  against  Moses,  saying,  What  shall 
we  drink  ?  And  he  cried  unto  the  Lord;  and  the  Lord  showed  him  a 
tree,  which  when  he  had  cast  into  the  waters,  the  waters  were  made 
sweet:  there  he  made  for  the??t  a  statute  and  an  ordinance,  and  there  he 
proved  thejn,  and  said.  If  thou  wilt  diligently  hearken  to  the  voice  of  the 
Lord  thy  God,  and  wilt  do  that  which  is  right  in  His  sight,  and  wilt 
give  ear  to  His  commandments,  and  keep  all  His  statutes,  I  will  put 
none  of  these  diseases  upon  thee,  which  I  have  brought  upon  the  Egyp- 
tians: for  I  am  the  Lord  that  healeth  thee.  And  they  came  to  Elim, 
where  were  twelve  wells  of  water,  and  threescore  and  ten  palm  trees: 
and  they  encamped  there  by  the  waters.^''- — ExODUS  xv.  23-27. 

IN  the  beginning  of  the  way  of  the  wilderness 
there  are  two  very  interesting  places  called  Ma- 
rah and  Elim.  They  are  interesting  in  themselves,  as 
they  are  the  first  two  stations  at  which  the  Israel- 
ites stopped  in  their  journey  from  Egypt  to  Canaan. 
They  are  interesting  in  their  associations;  the  burn- 
ing sands,  the  bitter  waters,  and  the  sweetening  tree 
of  the  one — the  green  pastures,  the  shadowing  palms, 
and  the  salutary  wells  of  the  other,  were  so  graven 
on  the  hearts  and  minds  of  the  covenant  people,  that 
they  could  never  be  forgotten. 

But  to  us  they  are  interesting,  especially,  because 
they  arc  so  emljlematic  of  our  life.     Our  sorrows  and 


32  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES, 

our  joys;  our  pains  and  onr  pleasures;  our  distress- 
ing retreats  and  our  delightful  resting-places,  are 
all  faithfully  foreshadowed  by  these  tAvo  memorable 
places,  in  the  margin  of  the  wilderness,  IMarah  and 
Elim. 

As  the  skilful  artist,  in  making  a  good  portrait, 
finds  it  essentially  necessary  to  use  the  dark  and 
bright  colors  alternately,  so  the  Divine  Artist  dips 
His  pencil,  by  turns,  in  Marah  and  Elim.  In  Marah 
first,  and  the  background  is  laid  in  darkness  black 
as  midnight,  and  then  in  Elim,  and  the  blackness  is 
relieved  with  the  colors  of  the  rainbow.  Marah  and 
Elim,  here  and  there;  first  the  one,  and  then  the 
other;  the  bitter,  and  then  the  sweet;  the  sorrow, 
and  then  the  joy;  the  house  of  mourning,  and  then 
the  house  of  feasting;  and  these,  now  and  then,  all 
our  journey  through.  "The  evening  and  the  morn- 
ing were  the  first  day:  and  the  evening  and  the 
morning  were  the  sixth  day."^ 

We  propose  to  direct  your  attention  to  these  two 
places,  Marah  and  Elim,  to  which  we  are  coming  in 
such  quick  succession,  and  where,  even  now,  some 
of  our  moving  tents  may  be  pitched,  believing  that 
we  shall  see  ourselves  in  the  waters  of  both,  and 
praying  that  their  timely  lessons  may  be  learned 
more  perfectly.  If  by  any  means  we  could  consider 
them  in  one  sermon,  we  would  be  glad  to  do  so,  be- 
cause they  are  so  intimately  connected.  But  furnish- 
ing, as  they  do,  such  an  abundance  of  material  for 
instruction,  we  shall  be  obliged  to  put  them  asunder 

1  Gen.  i.  5,  31. 


MAR  AH  AND  ELIM.  33 

for  the  short  space  of  time  between  our  services;  and 
taking  the  first  by  itself  alone,  Marah  shall  be  our 
theme  this  morning. 

At  Marah  the  Israelites  were  sorely  disappointed. 
Almost  immediately  after  their  thanksgiving  service, 
on  the  shore  of  the  Red  Sea,  which  they  had  crossed 
in  safety,  they  continued  their  mysterious  march. 
Their  divinely  directed  course  lay  through  a  desti- 
tute region  of  country  which  was  sandy  and  stony, 
by  turns,  and  hard  to  travel;  and  sorer  still,  it  was 
"a  land  of  drought  and  of  the  shadow  of  death;" ^ 
and  for  the  space  of  three  days  they  found  no  water. 
We  do  not  suppose  that  they  were  entirely  desti- 
tute of  water  for  so  long  a  time;  because  in  such  a 
case  many  of  them  must  have  perished.  The  record 
simply  says  that,  "they  went  three  days  in  the  wfl- 
derness  and  found  no  water."  ^  They  crossed  no  run- 
ning stream,  they  discovered  no  gushing  spring. 

Before  starting  from  the  sea-shore  they  had  doubt- 
less filled  their  leathern  bottles  with  water  enough  to 
serve  them  for  awhile ;  but  at  last  their  scanty  supply 
is  quite  exhausted,  and  they  begin  to  be  tormented 
with  thirst.  Little  companies  are  sent  out,  in  every 
direction  along  their  way,  to  search  for  springs ;  but 
they  all  return  with  the  same  evil  report,  that  none 
can  be  found.  Often  the  interminable  multitude  may 
be  seen  halting  and  digging  wells  in  the  sand ;  but 
they  are  all  wells  without  water.  Many  of  the  people 
are  already  beginning  to  show  signs  of  anguish.  TJie 
blazing  sun  above  is  pouring  downright  embers  all 
1  Jer.  ii.  6.  2  Exod.  xv.  22. 

3 


34  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

the  day;  and  the  burnmg  sands  below  are  sending 
back  the  scorching  beams,  and  betwixt  these  two 
flaming  fires  they  are  almost  consumed.  Water! 
water !  water !  is  the  universal  cry.  But  alas  !  there 
is  no  w^ater.  Slowly,  silently,  and  sadly  they  press 
on  after  the  pillared  cloud,  "faint  yet  pursuing."^ 
The  flocks  are  panting,  the  beasts  are  groaning, 
the  cattle  are  oppressed,  and  millions  of  men,  women, 
and  children  are  positively  perishing.  Their  eyes 
groAV  dim,  and  they  are  dizzy.  Fever  races  along- 
all  their  veins ;  and  their  parched  tongues  are  cleav- 
ing to  their  mouths.  They  can  scarcely  speak;  they 
can  scarcely  stand,  but  still  they  stagger  on  hoping 
against  hope.  And  just  here  the  good  news,  that 
their  suflerings  will  soon  be  over,  runs  along  the  reel- 
ing line.  Behold,  the  bushes  yonder  betoken  some- 
thing good !  Yes,  there  is  Avater  there,  for  the  slant- 
ing rays  of  the  setting  sun  are  glancing  from  its 
polished  surface  now.  The  very  tidings  are  refresh- 
ing, and  their  strength  is  greatly  revived.  Their 
tongues  are  loosened,  and  their  step  seems  quite 
elastic,  as,  with  hope  beating  high  in  every  bounding 
heart,  and  joy  bursting  forth  from  every  lip,  they 
hasten  to  their  saviour  spring.  But  stop !  What 
means  that  mighty  groan  from  the  great  multitude  ? 
What  means  this  mourning  and  lamentation  here? 
Why  the  water  is  bitter  and  they  can  not  drink  it. 
"When  they  came  to  Marah,  they  could  not  drink 
of  the  Avaters  of  Marah,  for  they  were  bitter :  there- 
fore the  name  of  it  was  called  Marah." 

1  Judf^jes  viii.  4. 


MA  RAH  AND  ELIM.  35 

Similar  disappointments  often  happen  in  the  jour- 
ney of  life.  There  are  Marahs,  more  than  we  can 
number,  along  the  path  of  onr  pilgrimage.  The  places 
where  we  expect  to  find  nothing  but  pleasure  are  only 
places  of  pain.  When  gray  hairs  are  coming  here 
and  there  upon  his  head,  the  prosperous  man  of  busi- 
ness retires  from  the  active  duties  of  life ;  and  hoping 
to  pass  the  remnant  of  his  days  in  elegant  leisure, 
he  builds  a  palace  for  his  pride ;  but  before  the  golden 
mansion  is  quite  finished,  an  unexpected  turn  in  the 
wheel  of  fortune  makes  him  a  bankrupt,  and  his  last 
days  are  spent,  as  a  sigh,  in  the  poor-house. 

"That  righteous  man"^  Lot  was  rich  enough  before 
he  parted  with  Abraham,  but  as  his  riches  increased, 
he  set  his  heart  on  them,  and  desiring  to  become  still 
more  wealthy  he  "pitched  his  tent  toward  Sodom ;"2 
but  he  went  from  peace  to  war,  from  freedom  to  cap- 
tivity, from  the  very  gate  of  heaven  to  the  vesti- 
bule of  hell.  From  the  first  day  that  he  set  his  face 
towards  the  cities  of  the  plain  he  went  from  bad 
to  worse;  from  honor  to  dishonor;  from  wealth  to 
poverty.  All  his  houses  and  flocks  and  herds  were 
burned  with  "  brimstone  and  fire  from  the  Lord  out 
of  heaven ; "  ^  and  all  his  lands,  and  city  lots,  were 
buried  beneath  the  Dead  Sea. 

When  Naomi  Avith  her  husband  and  her  two  sons 
emigrated  to  the  land  of  Moab,  she  doubtless  thought 
her  prospects  would  be  improved.  And  there  seemed 
to  be  a  good  reason  for  leaving  her  pleasant  home 
in  Bethlehem,  for  the  times  were  hard  in  Canaan, 
1  II  Pet.  ii.  8.  2  Gen.  xiii.  12.  ^  Gen.  xix.  24. 


30 


liEAVrv   AW/    ASIIl'.S, 


"  t,li(5r()  WMH  }i  rMiiiiiic  III  Mil-  liiinl."'  r»ul,  ill  l.lic  lii.iid 
of  ))l«Mify,  fo  wliicli  hIhi  vvriit,  \\\v\{\  waH  iioiliiii/j;  in 
Htoni  Ini-  licr  lull,  poverty  mikI  {iniiclion.  'I'licrc^  mIio 
loHf,  .'ill  lnr  |)i()|)('rty,  tlicri^  hIk^  hiiiied  IsliinchM'li 
Ikt  IiiimIhiimI,  jukI  tlicMc  hIk^  hurled  Mnliloii  n.iid  Clii- 
lioii,  bolli  <»r  (lieni.  And  wIhui  hIk;  eaiiK!  h.-ick  to 
JJcUdelusMi,  MO  clmti^fMl,  Iwr  IVii^iidH  Hcnrccly  knew 
hur;  "tlioy  HaiM  ih  tliiH  NiMuni?  And  mIh'  Maiil  iinlo 
ilirm,  ('nil  ni(«  nol  Ninnni,  cmII  mo  M;irji,:  (or  llio 
Alirii^lii.y  liiilli  dfail.  vory  hiJlcrly  with  mo.  I  wonf, 
out  ftdl,  juid  (lio  Lord  liJilli  liroii<j,lil,  m<i  liomo  .'ii^iiin 
om|>|,y:  vvliy  Micm  o.'dl  mo  Nfioini,  HiM^in^;'  ilio  Lord 
lijitli  JoHl.iliod  a^'fiiiiHt  mo,  .'mkI  IIk^  Aimig'hly  li.illi 
nJlliolcd   m(\"» 

I  liavo  HomoiimoH  ^ono  oiil  ol  \x  wjirm  .'iricrnoon 
in  diino,  Mild  lK'ror<^  I  r<'l,Mrnod  llio  \vin<l  Hliillod  lo 
llio  iioilli,  Mild  llio  vv<'M.llior  Icll,  MH  oold  MH  Miiy  dny 
in  .JMiiiiMry.  SiKsli  ^roalr  M.nd  Miiddon  oliM.n/j;-oH  in  \\\k\ 
itMiijiorMliin^  an^  nlwM.yH  inirMvor;i,l»l(^  to  I.Ik^  IiomIIIi  of 
llif  Ixtdy.  And  wIk'ii  in  on(>  mIioiI,  (Imj  iinloolvod  lor 
advorHJly  oonioH  in  Mk^  plMccs  ol"  proHporily,  it  H(MMn« 
liko  M,  lilMo  winloi-  in  iho  Hummor  homhoii  ;  Mnd  t.lio 
IiomIIIi  of  Mm  mind  iM  ko  I>M(lly  lirolvon  Mini,  il,  omii  not 
ho  rooovoriMl.  VVIion  \V(5  H(^o  a  whm'ovv  coming  wo  aro 
in  a  moMMun^  ])ropi^r(^(l  for  it;  hut  wlion  it,  cohk^h  in 
tlio  twinhlini;-  ol"  mii  oy(^  vv(^  M.ro  ov(>r\\  Ik'IiikmI  ;  mihI 
it  wIkmi  wo  aro  looUin^  lor  fi,*lM(lnoHH,  j^riol"  oomoH  in 
ilH  plaoo,  wo  jin^  diHMppointod  nnd  diKtr(>HHod.  A  fow 
yoarH  a^j^o,  I  Hponl  llio  Sjihhath  in  a  noiolihorin^-  city 
whoro  I  on('(»  n^nidod,  mikI  mh  I  wmh  oidcrin^'  tlio  mmiic- 
'  Kuth  i.  1.  s  lluih  i.  I'J  21. 


nil  Hum  wim»: 


II      III  \      III  III  I     \\   ll  li    ll     I  <    Ml  I 


"  DiiAU  Hii(H'iii'!u  ;  \\  ill  \(Mi  ploMHp  (M»nio  mill  tiiM*  \\\^ 
n,M  Huou  MM  yiMi  OMU?  VoMlrM'dMy  wn  w«»rn  r»\|MM»Mn^' 
niir  (Hily  Miin  Up  wmm  r«»lMnn>i;v  Imm  r.nl  IIiiiImhu 
willi  liiM  lOji' iiiMMil.  Mini  wo  havo  |umI  hmm^immI  m  lolo 
^TMiii  nil)U  iuin,(»,  MM  I  IimI  ho  iIkmI  id  (Iio  v{\v  lioai  l>iil 
ImIo  ImmI  oNPiiiiip;.  I  >it  onim^  initl  mim>  ufi  N  on  ilo  iiul 
Know  HM,  Iml,  wo  Know  you.  niitl  ollon  itl(on<|i  <l  yoiii 
olmrolt.  ( )m'  jmimIoi'  im  no!  m1  homo.  mikI  wo  fjnw  Ity 
Iho    |»ii|iorM    (hill    y<»'i    w«Mo  jo   !»(>   m    Iho   oiiy    lo  dny 

I  ><«     <   iMIK*     1111*1     MOO     IIM     ll      yull     Ollll." 


(iimliMl  jiy  Iho  MildroMM  which  wmm  ^;ivoM  in  Iho 
loli(<r,  I  wiMil  In  MOO  Ihiil  Minitlon  ImnMohnlij  mm  mooii 
MM   (In*    inoiiim,r»    worMhip   wmm   <>ii<|o(|        AikI    miioIi    Jom- 

|hMmIo    finlKtW      MM     I      WllnoMMOil      I  llnll     IIIhI      IIioIp     IM     I  »o 

\oimI    mII    li'lhiip;      Siioh    iiHMirninp^'   mihI    iMiiioiilMhon 
mill    lulliM    w<w«|imp    I   liMvo   iMWiM*  IioIk  III  <  il  hor  Itolmo 
or  Miiiop        IImiI    linn   iltMii    mmii    hoon    mImiii    hi    l)Mtlli\ 
IIimI    im    wIimI    I  hoy   liMil    Im<<«ii    ItMiiinjir.  mihI    thoy    wmiM 

||M\(«     ItOOll     |M'I«|IIU'(mI     III     Moliio    ilppior,    \\\y    Iho    MM)l     I  hi 

in)^H,-^nr  ir  ho  liinl  («x|iii'o<|  m  Iho  Iiom|iiImI,  iI  IimJ  tml, 
Itoon  Mn  hoMil.  ln'oM,lunp;,  litM'miMo  iMioh  IhoiipJirM  woio 
ollni  lliltjnp;  lhi'«in^;li  IhoirniiiMlM      I'nl   ho  Iiii«l  |MiMftoi| 

MMloly  lhlnl|,",ll  Ihn  |h'|||m  mI  I  lin  WMI.  Mini  |IiImm,>'|| 
Iho     |ii  iiIm    III      Iho     rlniKllo,     mimI     Wtlf4    nil     lllfl    ,|**lllll*'y 

hniiio,  Mini  win  n  liiM  jiiM'cMilM  woi'o  |u'ojim'inp;  In  I'n- 
ooivt^   linn  joylnlly  Ihoy  mily    hmm  ivod    Ihm  <I«>miI    IhmIv 

in     II     onllin.        "Whon      I      InnKril      Ini      p,Mn<|,     Ihon     <\ll 


38  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

came  upon  me:  and  when  I  waited  for  light,  there 
came  darkness."^ 

The  peculiar  people  murmured  at  Marah.  It  is  a 
sad  thing  that  they  should  have  done  so,  but  it  is 
no  surprising  thing.  It  is  just  like  human  nature  to 
complain  under  such  circumstances;  nor  can  we  find 
it  in  our  hearts  to  blame  them  in  terms  of  great 
severity,  as  some  have  done.  Indeed,  we  can  not 
help  sympathizing  with  them,  and  would  be  glad, 
not  only  to  forgive,  but  to  forget  the  sin  which  they 
committed  at  Marah.  It  is  rather  wonderful,  we 
thiid^,  that  they  did  not  murmur  sooner,  thirst  is 
such  a  cruel  thing.  But,  to  their  praise  be  it  spoken, 
during  all  those  terrible  days  in  which  they  found  no 
water,  it  does  not  appear  that  they  uttered  one  word 
of  complaint.  In  our  opinion  they  did  not  murmur 
so  much  for  thirst,  tormenting  as  that  must  have 
been,  but  rather  because  their  hopes  which  had  been 
raised  so  high  by  the  sight  of  water  were  now  so  sud- 
denly cast  down  by  its  unexpected  bitterness.  The 
transition  was  greater  than  they  could  bear,  and  as 
they  dashed  the  tantalizing  draught  from  their  disap- 
pointed lips,  we  must  not  judge  them  too  harshly,  if 
for  a  moment  they  lost  their  temper,  and  "  murmured 
against  ]\Ioses,  saying,  '  What  shall  we  drink ? '" 

It  is  interesting  to  notice,  in  this  connection,  that 
neither  Moses  nor  God  reproved  the  people  here,  as 
they  did  for  similar  sins  committed  on  subsequent 
occasions.  We  do  not  mean  to  say  that  the  Israel- 
ites are  not  worthy  of  some  blame  for  murmuring 
'  Job  XXX.  26. 


MARAH  AND  ELIM.  39 

at  Marah;  but  we  do  mean  to  say,  emphatically,  that 
Avhere  God  is  silent,  man  should  hold  his  peace ;  and 
especially  when  by  pronouncing  sentence  on  othersf 
he  condemns  himself.  "  Therefore  thou  art  inexcusa- 
ble, 0  man,  whosoever  thou  art  that  judgest:  for 
wherein  thou  judgest  another,  thou  condemn  est  thy- 
self; for  thou  that  judgest  doest  the  same  things."^ 

It  is  greatly  to  be  regretted  that  the  lessons  of 
God's  loving-kindness  which  His  people  had  learned 
in  Egypt,  and  still  more  recently,  at  the  Ked  Sea, 
were  forgotten  so  soon;  and  that  while  the  song  of 
Moses  was  lingering  on  their  tongues,  and  the  sound 
of  Miriam's  timbrel  was  still  ringing  in  their  ears, 
they  should  have  spoken  unadvisedly  with  their  lips. 
But,  in  the  judgment  of  charity,  being  almost  beside 
themselves  by  reason  of  tlieir  terrible  sufferings  and 
dreadful  disappointment,  they  should  be  excused  and 
forgiven,  for  not  cheering  one  another  with  the  as- 
surance that  the  same  mighty  power  that  made  the 
Tvaters  of  the  sea  passable  could  make  the  waters 
of  a  spring  palatable.  At  any  rate,  we  must  pardon 
their  murmuring  at  Marah,  since  without  as  much 
cause  we  all  offend  much  more. 

How  often  are  we  tossed  into  a  tempest  by  the 
little  fretting  annoyances  of  every-day  life!  Some- 
times the  most  trivial  perplexity  makes  us  angry; 
and,  unable  to  endure  the  least  disappointment,  we 
murmur  exceedingly.  Long,  long  before  we  come 
to  Marah  we  begin  to  complain,  and  when  we  get 
there,  how  frequently  we  turn  and  go  away  in  a 
•  Eom.  ii.  1. 


40  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

rage  !  Having  the  same  good  guide,  to  choose  all 
our  changes,  and  the  same  mighty  God  to  go  to  for 
relief,  still  we  murmur.  We  murmur  at  our  lot,  and 
at  the  locality  to  which  a  kind  and  wise  Providence 
has  led  us.  This  wilderness  is  such  a  dreadful  place ; 
this  pilgrimage  is  so  painful;  and  this  cup  is  so  bit- 
ter. Where  shall  we  go?  How  shall  we  survive? 
and  what  shall  we  drink?  When  health,  and  wealth, 
and  friends  fail  us,  how  frequently  we  are  "found 
even  to  fight  against  God."^  Instead  of  saying,  "The 
Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away;  blessed 
be  the  name  of  the  Lord,"  ^  we  rebel  against  His 
administration  of  our  affairs  as  cruel  and  unkind. 
Instead  of  securing  the  sweetest  peace,  by  submis- 
sion, we  only  aggravate  our  sufferings,  and  make 
ourselves  more  miserable  by  murmuring. 

We  have  known  men  to  murmur  more  at  the 
weather  than  the  Israelites  at  Marah.  The  spring 
came  too  late;  the  summer  was  too  dry;  and  the 
harvest  was  too  rainy.  When  Caesar  made  a  great 
feast  for  his  friends,  and  the  day  proved  unpropitious, 
he  commanded  those  who  came,  "armed  and  carry- 
ing bows,"  ^  to  go  out  and  shoot  their  arrows  towards 
the  throne  of  Jupiter.  When  Ajax  was  wrecked  at 
sea,  he  is  represented  as  standing  on  a  rock  in  mid 
ocean  shaking  his  clenched  fist  up  in  the  face  of 
heaven;  and  in  respect  of  murmuring  against  God, 
many  Christian  men  are  no  better  than  these  blinded 
heathen.  "Father,  forgive  them;  for  they  know  not 
what  they  do."* 

1  Acts  V.  39.      2  Job  i.  21.      3  Ps.  ixxviii.  9.      •*  Luke  xxiii.  34. 


MARAH  AND  ELIM.  4I 

"  Why  do  you  ask  me  what  I  like  ?  "  said  suffering 
Simeon  on  his  djang  bed,  "I  am  the  Lord's  patient 
and  I  can  not  but  like  every  thing."  Such  is  the 
noble,  lamb-like,  and  lovely  spirit  with  which  every 
Christian  should  welcome  the  sickness  and  the  health, 
the  sorrow  and  the  joy,  the  adversity  and  the  pros- 
perity, that  Providence  may  be  pleased  to  mingle  in 
his  cup,  knowing  that  "  all  things  work  together  for 
good  to  them  that  love  God."  ^ 

Earnest  and  prevailing  prayer  was  offered  at  Ma- 
rah  —  Moses  knew  where  to  turn,  and  what  to  do, 
in  the  great  emergency;  and  so  when  the  murmur- 
ing multitude  came  to  him  for  relief  he  went  to  God ; 
"and  he  cried  unto  the  Lord."  He  had  learned  by 
experience  where  help  might  be  found.  Only  a  few 
days  ago,  when  the  impassable  mountains  were  on 
either  side  of  them,  and  the  deep  sea  was  just  before 
them,  and  Pharaoh's  fifty  thousand  war  chariots  were 
thundering  behind  them,  Moses  went  to  God,  and  He 
brought  them  through  "the  midst  of  the  sea  upon 
the  dry  ground;"^  and  now,  when  a  greater  calamity 
is  impending*^  he  goes  to  God  again.  He  does  not 
tell  the  people  to  dig  new  wells  in  the  desert,  and 
try  to  filter  the  waters  of  Mar  ah,  and  that,  perhaps, 
in  some  such  way  they  might  get  a  little  temporary 
relief  There  was  scarcely  time  enough  for  such  ex- 
pedients as  worldly  wisdom  is  always  ready  to  sug- 
gest, because  the  whole  congregation  was  at  the 
point  of  perishing.  A  little  longer  and  millions  of 
dead  bodies  would  blacken  the  desert  for  miles  in 
»  Kom.  viii.  28.  2  Exod.  xiv.  22. 


42  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

every  direction.  But,  "  In  the  mount  of  the  Lord  it 
shall  be  seen  "  ^  that  man's  extremity  is  God's  oppor- 
tunity. Moses  knew  this,  and,  sympathizing  with  his 
suffering  kindred,  he  carried  their  case  to  the  throne. 
His  faith  was  never  feeble,  and  never  wavered:  no 
not  for  a  moment.  He  remembered  the  great  prom- 
ise that  God  had  made  so  many  times,  confirming  it 
with  an  oath,  that  He  would  bring  His  covenant 
people  into  the  land  of  Canaan:  and  therefore  it  was 
impossible  that  they  should  be  left  to  perish,  here 
and  now,  in  this  wilderness. 

The  prayer  of  Moses  on  this  occasion  is  not  re- 
corded, but  we  can  not  help  thinking  that  the  prom- 
ise and  the  oath  of  God  were  its  burden  and  its  argu- 
ment. He  prayed  earnestly.  The  history  intimates 
as  much  when  it  is  said,  "  He  cried  unto  the  Lord." 
Besides,  there  was  great  need  of  earnestness  now; 
and  so  "with  strong  crying  and  tears," ^  this  great 
saint  made  known  his  requests  unto  Him  who  is  able 
to  save,  even  "to  the  uttermost."^  I  think  I  can 
almost  see  him  on  some  neighboring  hill  wrestling 
with  the  Almighty.  Now  he  prostrates  himself  on 
the  ground,  pleading  the  promise,  and  rising  up,  with 
holy  boldness,  he  reminds  God  of  His  oath.  Away 
yonder  is  the  promised  land,  and  lo,  here  thy  people 
are  perishing,  0  Lord!  Wilt  thou  not  do  as  thou 
hast  said  ?  wilt  thou  not  do  as  thou  hast  sworn  ? 
"Do  not  abhor  us,  for  thy  name's  sake;  do  not  dis- 
grace the  throne  of  thy  glory:  remember,  break  not 
thy  covenant  with  us."^     Then  lifting  up  both  his 

1  Gen.  xxii.  14.      2  Heb.  v.  7.      ^  Heb.  vii.  25.      4  Jer.  xiv.  21. 


MARAH  AND  ELIM.  43 

hands,  as  if  he  would  rend  the  heavens  with  his 
wonder-working  rod,  he  cries  on  God  to  come  down 
quickly  and  deliver  His  people  from  impending  death: 
nor  does  he  cease  praying  till  an  answer  is  received. 

From  this  interesting  incident  we  should  learn  to 
pray  in  the  time  of  sorrow.  Marah  is  always  near 
the  mercy-seat,  and  right  across  the  bitter  spring  we 
can  join  hands  with  Jesus.  In  every  emergency  we 
may  go  to  the  throne  of  grace,  and,  better  still,  we 
shall  never  go  in  vain.  Oh  how  good  it  is  to  have 
"the  great  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ"^  to 
go  to,  when  the  waters  are  bitter,  and  cisterns  are 
broken.  "Behold,  the  Lord's  hand  is  not  shortened, 
that  it  can  not  save;  neither  His  ear  heavy,  that  it 
can  not  hear."''  And  abiding  "under  the  shadow 
of  the  Almighty"^  we  can  sing  in  all  storms:  "God 
is  our  refuge  and  strength;  a  very  present  help  in 
trouble.  Therefore  will  not  we  fear,  though  the  earth 
be  removed,  and  though  the  mountains  be  carried 
into  the  midst  of  the  sea;  though  the  waves  thereof 
roar  and  be  troubled,  though  the  mountains  shake 
with  the  swelling  thereof"* 

With  "precept  upon  precept,  precept  upon  precept; 
line  upon  line,  line  upon  line ;  here  a  little,  and  there 
a  little;"^  the  Bible  teaches  us  to  pray — "to  pray  and 
not  to  faint "** — to  "pray  without  ceasing."''  Are  any 
of  you  careful  and  troubled  about  many  things?  "Be 
careful  for  nothing;  but  in  every  thing. by  prayer  and 

1  Tit.  ii.  13.  2  Isa.  lix.  1.  3  Ps.  xci.  1. 

4  Ps.  xlvi.  1,  2,  3.         6  Isa.  xxviii.  13.         ^  Luke  xviii.  1. 
7  I  Thes.  V.  17. 


44  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

supplication  with  thanksgiving  let  your  requests  be 
made  known  unto  God.  And  the  peace  of  God  which 
passeth  all  understanding,  shall  keep  your  hearts  and 
minds  through  Christ  Jesus."  ^  "  Is  any  among  you 
afflicted?  let  him  pray."^  "Is  any  sick  among  you? 
let  him  call  for  the  elders  of  the  church;  and  let 
them  pray  over  him,  anointing  him  with  oil  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord;  and  the  prayer  of  faith  shall  save 
the  sick,  and  the  Lord  shall  raise  him  up;  and  if  he 
have  committed  sins,  they  shall  be  forgiven  him."^ 
Are  any  of  your  hearts  breaking,  and  bleeding,  by 
reason  of  some  recent  bereavement?  When  John  the 
Baptist  was  beheaded,  "his  disciples  came,  and  took 
up  the  body  and  buried  it,  and  went  and  told  Jesus ; "  * 
go  thou  and  do  likewise;  "He  healeth  the  broken  in 
heart,  and  bindeth  up  their  wounds."^ 

And  here,  also,  for  our  encouragement  to  pray,  when 
troubles  press,  we  have  the  practice  of  the  holy  men 
of  old,  as  well  as  their  inspired  precepts.  When 
"  our  father  Jacob  "  was  expecting  on  the  morrow  to 
meet  with  his  angry  brother  Esau,  "  he  wrestled  "  all 
night  with  the  angel,  and  the  next  day  "  Esau  ran  to 
meet  him,  and  embraced  him,  and  fell  on  his  neck, 
and  kissed  him."  "  Hannah  was  "  a  woman  of  a  sor- 
rowful spirit;"''  but  after  she  had  prayed  and  "poured 
out  her  soul  before  the  Lord,"^  she  "went  her  way, 
and  did  eat,  and  her  countenance  was  no  more  sad."^ 
When  the  city  of  Jerusalem  was  beleagured  by  the 

1  Phil.  iv.  6.  2  jas.  y.  13.  3  Jas.  v.  14,  15. 

4  Mat.  xiv.  12.  6  Ps.  cxlvii.  3.  e  Gen.  xxxiii.  4. 

1  I  Sam.  i.  15.  s  i  Sam.  i.  15.  o  I  Sam.  i.  18. 


MARAH  AND  ELIM.  45 

grand  army  of  Assyria,  and  its  fall  seemed  only  a 
question  of  time,  "  Hezekiah  prayed,"^  '-and  it  came 
to  pass  that  night,  that  the  angel  of  the  Lord  went 
out,  and  smote  in  the  camp  of  the  Assyrians  a  hun- 
dred fourscore  and  five  thousand:  and  when  they 
arose  early  in  the  morning,  behold,  they  were  all 
dead."-  "In  those  days  was  Hezekiah  sick  unto 
death."'  But  "he  turned  his  face  to  the  wall  and 
prayed "  again,  and  secured  a  second  lease  of  life. 
"Out  of  the  fish's  belly"*  Jonah  prayed  unto  the 
Lord,  and  escaped  safe  to  land  "out  of  the  belly 
of  hell."  Just  as  soon  as  he  began  to  be  tormented 
with  the  thorn  in  the  flesh,  Paul  took  it  to  the  mercy- 
seat  and  prayed  that  it  might  be  removed.  "  For  this 
thing  I  besought  the  Lord  thrice,  that  it  might  de- 
part from  me.  And  He  said  unto  me  My  grace  is 
sufficient  for  thee:  for  my  strength  is  made  perfect 
in  weakness."  ^ 

And,  as  if  these,  and  many  more  that  might  be 
mentioned,  were  not  enough,  Jesus  Himself  in  the 
sublimest  examples  of  all  history  teaches  us  to  pray 
in  the  time  of  trouble.  Behold  Him  here  in  Geth- 
semane  !  See  how  He  suffers !  hear  how  He  prays ! 
There  is  agony  in  both,  and  as  the  "great  drops  of 
blood  "^  are  falling  down  to  the  grormd  the  great 
petitions  are  going  up  to  God.  As  He  lifts  the  bitter 
cup  to  His  pale  and  quivering  lips.  He  prays  that  it 
may  pass  from  Him.  Again  He  tries  to  drink  it,  and 
again  He  prays  that  it  may  pass  from  Him.     Once 

1  II  Kings  xix.  15.         2  n  Kings  xix.  35.         s  II  Kings  xx.  1. 
4  Jonah  ii.  1.  s  n  Cor.  xii.  8,  9.         «  Luke  xxii.  44. 


46  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

more,  by  tlie  help  of  the  strengthening  angel,  He 
brings  it  to  His  lips;  and  once  again  He  pours  out 
His  soul  in  prayer,  that  it  may  pass,  saying,  "  0  my 
Father,  if  this  cup  may  not  pass  away  from  me,  ex- 
cept I  drink  it,  thy  will  be  done."  ^  And  see  Him 
yonder  nailed  to  the  cross  on  Calvary!  He  is  suf- 
fering, bleeding,  dying,  but  yet  He  prays.  His  last 
breath  is  praying  breath:  "Father,  into  thy  hands  I 
commend  my  spirit."^  "Let  us  therefore  come  boldly 
unto  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy, 
and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need."  * 

God  healed  the  waters  of  Marah  and  they  were 
good.  In  answer  to  the  prayer  of  Moses,  "  the  Lord 
showed  him  a  tree,  which  when  he  had  cast  in  the 
waters,  the  waters  were  made  sweet."  Long  ago,  the 
question  was  started  whether  this  tree  possessed  cer- 
tain inherent  properties  which  cured  these  waters  of 
their  unpleasant  taste;  and  modern  travellers,  some 
of  them  innocently,  others  doubtless  desiring  to  find 
a  plant  to  supersede  the  miracle,  have  sought  for  a 
tree  possessing  the  natural  qualities  of  healing  the 
bitter  waters  which  still  fiow  from  Marah.  They 
might  just  as  well  look  along  the  banks  of  the  Jor- 
dan expecting  to  find  a  tree  which,  when  cut  down 
and  cast  into  the  water,  would  make  iron  "swim."* 

We  do  not  deny  that  certain  vegetables  possess  the 
peculiar  properties  which  will  purify  unwholesome 
water,  and  have  sometimes  been  used  for  that  pur- 
pose.    Indeed,    it   is   stated,   on   the   best   authority, 

1  Matt.  xxvi.  42.  2  Luke  xxiii.  46. 

3  Heb.  iv.  16.  <»  U  Kings  vi.  6. 


MARAH  AND  ELIM.  4/ 

that  the  people  who  first  discovered  what  is  now  tho 
state  of  Florida  corrected  the  stagnant  waters  of  that 
region  with  the  branches  of  sassafras :  and  it  is  a  well- 
known  fact  that  the  first  use  of  tea  in  China  was  to 
clarify  the  ponds  and  rivers  of  that  country.  More- 
over the  waters  of  Marah  have  been  analyzed,  and 
the  chemical  examination  shows  that  their  bitterness 
is  derived  from  the  sulphate  of  lime,  which  they  hold 
in  solution,  and  which  may  be  precipitated  by  any 
vegetable  substance  containing  oxalic  acid;  leaving 
the  beverage  pure  and  pleasant  to  the  taste. 

In  spite  of  all  that  has  been  and  may  be  said  to 
the  contrary,  we  can  not  believe  that  this  tree  pos- 
sessed any  such  virtue  as  has  been  claimed  for  it. 
It  is  easier  to  believe  the  miracle,  were  it  a  thou- 
sand times  more  wonderful,  than  to  believe  that  any 
tree,  however  healing  in  its  nature,  could  cure  water 
enough  for  three  millions  of  people,  with  their  nu- 
merous flocks  and  herds.  We  do  not  think  that  there 
was  any  more  healing  virtue  in  that  tree  than  there 
was  in  "  the  salt "  ^  with  which  Elisha  cured  the 
waters  of  Jericho;  or  in  the  "meal"^  with  which  he 
healed  the  poisoned  "pot  of  pottage;"  or  in  "the 
clay"^  with  which  Christ  opened  the  blind  man's 
eyes.  The  healing  properties  were  not  in  the  clay, 
nor  in  the  meal,  nor  in  the  salt,  nor  in  the  tree;  but 
in  the  Lord  alone,  and  behind  these  apparent  causes, 
"there  was  the  hiding  of  His  power."  * 

It  may  be  briefly  mentioned,  in  this  connection, 

I  n  Kings  ii.  21.  2  n  Kings  iv.  41. 

3  John  ix.  6.  ^  Hab.  iii.  4. 


48  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

that  the  Jewish  writers  generally,  so  far  from  recog- 
nizing any  inherent  virtues  in  this  tree,  are  of  the 
opinion  that  its  quality  was  bitter,  saying,  "  It  is  the 
manner  of  the  blessed  and  holy  God  to  make  that 
which  is  bitter  sweet  by  that  which  is  bitter." 

Whether  this  tree  Avas  typical  or  not  makes  no 
matter:  our  thoughts  turn  naturally  from  it  to  the 
bitter  death  of  Christ,  on  the  bitter  tree  of  the  cross, 
by  which  our  sorrows  are  sweetened  and  our  sins 
forgiven:  "surely  He  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  car- 
ried our  sorrows"' — not  our  guilt  only  but  our  grief  as 
well.  He  Avho  hath  the  "righteous  Branch"^  within 
him,  that  man  has  a  perpetual  antidote  against  all 
the  ills  of  life.  Fast  as  the  bitter  thing  comes  rush- 
ing in  upon  him,  like  a  flood,  its  bitterness  departs, 
and  all  the  waves  and  billows  of  sorrow  are  changed 
into  a  sea  of  glory. 

The  "Plant  of  Eenown""'  possesses  more  than  a 
magic  power.  Its  touch  turns  poverty  into  riches, 
sickness  into  health,  and  death  into  life  everlasting. 
It  makes  long  afflictions  short,  heavy  afflictions  light, 
and  bitter  afflictions  sweet.  And  if  only  the  lost 
sinner  could  take  it  with  him,  "to  his  own  place,"* 
it  would  change  hell  into  heaven.  In  proof  of  this 
blessed  truth,  we  might  point  you  to  many  of  the  suf- 
fering people  of  God,  and  ask  you  to  listen  to  their 
"songs  in  the  night," ^  and  their  "praises"^  in  priso-n, 
persecution,  and  death;  but  we  prefer  to  appeal  to 
your  own  personal  experience. 

1  Isa.  liii.  4.  2  Jer.  xxiii.  5.  ^  Ezek.  xxxiv.  29. 

4  Acts  i.  25.  6  Job.  XXXV.  10.        e  Acts  xvi.  25. 


MARAH  AND  ELIM.  49 

When  you  came  to  Marali  long  ago,  your  soul  hath 
it  still  in  remembrance,  and  the  waters  were  like 
wormwood  and  gall,  what  was  it,  but  "the  Tree  of 
Life,"^  whose  healing  leaves  fell  into  the  bitter  spring 
and  made  a  sweet  cordial  of  your  sorrows  ?  And 
again,  when  calamity  came  upon  you  with  all  its 
crushing  weight,  was  it  not  the  soft  and  gentle  hand 
of  "this  same  Jesus "^  that  bound  up  the  "bruised 
reed"'  it  would  not  break?  And  when  you  were 
passing  through  the  fires  of  some  recent  tribulation, 
oh  tell  me !  did  He  not  come  down  from  heaven 
again,  bringing  "  beauty  for  ashes,  the  oil  of  joy  for 
mourning,  the  garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit  of 
heaviness?"*  tuning  the  harp  of  your  broken  heart, 
lifting  up  "the  daughters  of  music," '^  constraining 
you  to  make  melody  unto  the  Lord,  in  some  such 
glowing  words  as  these,  "Most  gladly  therefore  Avill 
I  rather  glory  in  my  infirmities,  that  the  power  of 
Christ  may  rest  upon  me."® 

It  is  peculiarly  interesting  to  observe,  in  conclu- 
sion, that  God  would  not  permit  His  people  to  depart 
from  Marah  till  He  had  made  a  covenant  with  them ; 
"  there  He  made  for  them  a  statute  and  an  ordinance, 
and  there  He  proved  them,  and  said,  If  thou  wilt  dil- 
igently hearken  to  the  voice  of  the  Lord  thy  God, 
and  wilt  do  that  which  is  right  in  His  sight,  and 
wilt  give  ear  to  His  commandments,  and  keep  all 
His  statutes,  I  will  put  none  of  these  diseases  upon 

»  Kev.  xxii.  2.  2  Acts  i.  11. 

3  Mat.  xii.  20.  ^  Isa.  Ixi.  3. 

6  Eccl.  xii.  4.  6  II  Cor.  xii.  9. 


50  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

thee,  which  I  have  brought  upon  the  Egyptians:  for 
I  am  the  Lord  that  healeth  thee." 

We  believe  that  the  Lord  led  the  Israelites  to 
Marah  of  a  set  purpose  to  communicate  important 
instruction  to  them  there.  On  condition  of  perfect 
obedience,  He  promises  to  preserve  them  from  the 
plagues  of  Egypt,  which,  in  another  place,  are  ex- 
pressly threatened  as  the  punishment  of  disobedi- 
ence. And  the  history  sliows  that  "  God  is  no  re- 
specter of  persons,"^  as  the  rebellious  Israelites  fared 
no  better  than  the  rebellious  Egyptians.  Nor  is  it 
less  important  for  us  to  know  that  God  will  deal 
with  us  now,  according  as  we  keep  His  command- 
ments. It  is  just  as  true  in  these  days,  as  it  ever 
was,  that  the  path  of  obedience  is  pleasant  and  pros- 
perous ;  "but  the  way  of  transgressors  is  hard."  ^ 
There  may  not  be  the  same  outward  and  visible 
signs  of  reward  and  retribution  as  in  the  former 
time;  nevertheless,  "whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that 
shall  he  also  reap."  ^ 

As  a  special  reason  to  induce  His  people  to  obey 
His  voice,  and  do  that  which  was  right,  the  Almighty 
closed  the  covenant  with  these  words:  "For  I  am  the 
Lord  that  healeth  thee ; "  and  "  as  in  water  face  an- 
swereth  to  face,"*  so  in  Marah  the  Israelites  now 
saw  themselves.  It  reflected  their  own  image,  and 
in  its  bitterness  they  beheld  their  own  bitterness. 
Not  their  sorrows  only,  but  their  sins  as  well :  "  I 
am  the  Lord  that  healeth  thee : "  not  only  thy  bitter 

1  Acts  X.  34.  2  Prov.  xiii.  15. 

3  Gal.  vi.  7.  4  Prov.  xxvii.  19. 


MARAH  AND  ELIM.  5 1 

waters  by  the  Avay,  but  thee  thyself.     Thy  body  of  its 
plagues,  and  thy  soul  of  the  sickness  of  sin. 

And  so,  again,  we  are  brought  to  Jesus,  the  healer 
of  the  hurt  in  the  human  heart.  For,  after  all,  the 
mind  is  its  own  Marah,  and  we  carry  about  within  us 
the  bitter  fountain  of  sin,  which  only  Christ  can  cure. 
Of  Him  we  read  in  one  place,  "He  was  wounded  for 
our  transgressions.  He  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities : 
the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  Him ;  and 
with  His  stripes  we  are  healed."^  And  again  in  an- 
other place  we  read,  "  Unto  you  that  fear  my  name 
shall  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  arise  with  healing  in 
His  wings."  ^  If  you  are  sick  unto  death.  He  can 
raise  you  up  and  give  you  length  of  days:  and  if 
you  are  sensible  of  sin  He  alone  can  make  you  clean : 
"None  but  Jesus  can  do  helpless  sinners  good;" 
"Neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other:  for  there 
is  none  other  name  under  heaven  given  among  men, 
whereby  we  must  be  saved."  ^  Come  then  to  Jesus, 
come  just  as  you  are,  and  come  just  now.  Never 
mind  tarrying  to  make  yourself  better,  and  say  not 
to  thy  servant,  "  Go  thy  way  for  this  time  ;  when 
I  have  a  convenient  season,  I  will  call  for  thee.""^ 
"  Behold,  now  is  the  accepted  time ;  behold,  now  is 
the  day  of  salvation."^  Come  now  then,  prostrate 
yourselves  at  the  feet  of  Jesus  and  pray,  and  pray 
again  for  health  and  holiness;  and  while  you  are  yet 
speaking  your  prayers  shall  be  turned  into  praises, 
and  you  shall  rise  up  singing,   "Bless  the  Lord,  O 

I  Isa.  liii,  5.  2  Mai.  iv.  2.  3  Acts  iv.  12. 

4  Acts  xxiv.  25.        5  n  Cor.  vi.  2. 


52  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

my  soul:  and  all  that  is  within  me,  bless  His  holy 
name.  Bless  the  Lord,  0  my  soul,  and  forget  not  all 
His  benefits :  who  forgiveth  all  thine  iniquities ;  who 
healeth  all  thy  diseases;  wlio  redeemeth  thy  life  from 
destruction;  who  crowneth  thee  with  loving-kindness 
and  tender  mercies;  who  satisfieth  thy  mouth  with 
good  things;  so  that  thy  youth  is  renewed  like  the 
eagle's."  ^ 

"Now  unto  Him  that  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abun- 
dantly above  all  that  we  ask  or  think,  according  to 
the  power  that  worketh  in  us,  unto  Him  be  glory 
in  the  church  by  Christ  Jesus  throughout  all  ages, 
world  without  end.     Amen."^ 

1  Ps.  ciii.  1-5.  2  Eph.  iii.  20. 


ELIM    AND    MARAH, 


CHAPTER   III. 

"And  they  came  to  Elini,  where  were  tzvelve  wells  of  water,  and 
threescore  and  ten  palm-trees:  and  they  encamped  there  by  the  waters.''^ 
Exodus  xv.  27. 

MARAH  and  Elim  are  both  in  the  same  chapter, 
with  not  so  much  as  a  single  verse  between 
them.  And,  over  in  the  book  of  Numbers,  they  are 
spoken  of  in  the  same  short  sentence;  "They  re- 
moved from  Marah,  and  came  unto  EKm."  ^  They 
were  together  in  the  mind  of  Moses,  and  he  just 
transferred  them  from  his  memory  to  his  history. 

Nor  is  it  strange  that  these  two  interesting  places 
should  be  so  near  together  in  the  story  of  the  exodus, 
because  they  almost  touch  each  other  in  the  wilder- 
ness itself  Both  of  them  are  in  the  same  locality, 
between  the  adjacent  parallels  of  latitude,  and  in  the 
same  longitude.  They  are  so  near  together,  that, 
in  the  neighboring  lowlands,  their  waters  may  have 
met,  and  mingled,  and  flowed  down  in  the  same 
channel  to  the  sea.  Indeed  they  are  only  about  six 
short  miles  apart;  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  in- 
tervening sand  hills,  while  the  people  of  Israel  were 
murmuring  at  Marah  they  might  have  seen  the  palm- 
trees  of  Elim  waving  their  friendly  welcome,  and  say- 
ing, "  Here  is  the  best  water  in  the  world."  , 
1  Num.  xxxiii.  9. 


56  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

"Thus  near  to  eacli  other  are  the  bitter  and  the 
sweet  of  life,  the  sorrow  and  the  joy  of  time !  "  Both 
are  in  the  same  desert,  and  often  follow  each  other 
in  the  progress  of  a  single  day.  Deeply  impressed 
with  the  close  proximity  of  Marah  and  Elim,  and  the 
blending  of  the  sorrows  and  the  joys  which  they  fore- 
shadow, a  recent  traveller  says:  "In  token  of  this  we 
broke  off  a  small  branch  of  palm  from  one  of  these 
Elim  trees,  and  laying  it  on  the  similar  branch  which 
we  had  brought  from  Marah,  we  tied  the  two  to- 
gether, to  be  kept  in  perpetual  memorial,  not  merely 
of  the  scenes,  but  of  the  truth  which  they  so  vividly 
teach." 

In  our  personal  experience  we  are  coming  ever 
and  again  to  Marah  and  Elim,  and  their  waters  are 
always  welling  up  within  us,  to  teach  us  the  evil  and 
the  good  of  life.  A  Marah  disappointing  our  desires 
to-day,  an  Elim  more  than  meeting  our  expectations 
to-morrow — a  dark  shadow  in  our  dwelling  at  noon, 
a  bright  light  shining  on  it  at  evening  time — a  great 
calamity  crushing  us  here,  a  sweet  mercy  coming 
yonder.  And  thrice  happy  would  we  be,  if  only  we 
could  endure  patiently,  and  enjoy  tliankfully,  those 
things  which  a  wise  and  kind  Providence  is  pleased 
to  mingle  in  our  cup:  suffering  as  those  who  know 
that  they  shall  one  day  rejoice:  "Thou  which  hast 
showed  me  great  and  sore  troubles,  shalt  quicken  me 
again,  and  shalt  bring  me  up  again  from  the  depths 
of  the  earth.  Thou  shalt  increase  my  greatness,  and 
comfort  me  on  every  side:"^  rejoicing  as  those  who 
1  Ps.  Ixxi.  20,  21. 


ELIM  AND  MA  RAH.  57 

know  that  they  shall  one  day  suffer:  "In  the  world 
ye  shall  have  tribulation : "  ^  and  blessing*  God  for 
both  the  bitter  and  the  sweet,  because  both  are  good, 
both  are  useful,  both  are  indispensable. 

"They  came  to  Elim."  Elim  was  a  valley  of  con- 
siderable extent  reposing,  like  an  emerald  gem,  on 
the  barren  bosom  of  the  desert  through  which  the 
Israelites  were  passing.  How  glad  they  must  have 
been  to  reach  that  welcome  oasis !  Footsore,  weary, 
and  heav^y  laden,  there  they  laid  down  their  burdens, 
unloosed  the  latchet  of  their  shoes,  and  gave  them- 
selves to  sweet  repose.  Having  passed  the  place  of 
patient  endurance,  they  were  now  come  to  the  place 
of  positive  enjoyment. 

By  all  accounts  Elim  was  a  little  Eden  in  the  wil- 
derness, and  by  far  the  loveliest  spot  to  which  the 
Hebrews  came,  in  all  their  wanderings,  till  they  came 
at  last  to  Canaan.  Besides,  it  was  now  about  the 
middle  of  the  month  of  April:  so  that  they  came  to 
this  pleasantest  place  in  the  wilderness,  in  the  pleas- 
antest  season  of  tlie  year.  The  winter  was  past,  the 
rain  was  over  and  gone,  and  the  time  of  the  singing 
of  birds  was  come.  At  every  turn  they  felt  the  gush 
of  vernal  glee,  on  every  hand  they  heard  the  music 
of  God's  own  minstrelsy,  and  everywhere  they  saw 
the  heavenly  dress  of  the  new-born  year.  The  grass 
was  sprouting  green  for  miles  away  between  rejoic- 
ing hills  on  every  side;  and,  as  the  trees  of  the  field 
clapped  their  hands,  the  showering  blossoms  fell  and 
filled  the  air  with  fragrance,  like  as  when  an  angel 
1  John  xvi.  33. 


58  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

shakes  liis  wings  to  scatter  clown  the  smell  of  heaven. 
By  the  surpassing  loveliness  of  the  scene,  who  can 
doubt  that  the  Hebrews  Avere  reminded  of  the  good 
land  of  Goshen,  which  they  had  lately  left,  a  very 
section  of  which  seemed  to  have  been  lifted  across 
the  Red  Sea  as  a  resting-place  for  them  ? 

Elim  is  still  a  pleasant  valley,  and  quite  a  desirable 
resting-place  with  the  Arabian  desert  rangers.  As 
the  traveller  will  often  hold  on  his  weary  way,  long 
after  dark,  that  he  may  spend  the  night  at  his  favorite 
inn,  so  these  "children  of  the  bondwoman  "^  press  on, 
passing  by  all  common  stations,  if  by  any  means  they 
may  reach  Elim,  and  rest  awhile  beneath  its  palm- 
trees  and  beside  its  Avells  of  water.  Most  modern 
travellers  speak  of  this  region  in  the  highest  terms. 
We  might  quote  the  language  of  many,  but  one  must 
suffice  as  a  specimen  of  the  whole.  "  There  was  even 
—  delightful  sight!  a  little  grass,  and  birds  were 
hopping  about  enjoying  the  rare  luxury.  The  water 
trickling  off,  pursues  its  way  some  distance  down 
the  valley,  forming  a  reedy  marsh,  interspersed  with 
thickets  of  bushes  and  dwarf  palm-trees,  and  a  con- 
siderable quantity  of  tamarisks  and  other  shrubs :  and 
as  there  are  also  considerable  masses  of  similar  vege- 
tation above  this^  point,  there  are  probably  several 
other  springs  which  nourish  it.  Altogether  it  was  a 
reviving  sight  in  the  thirsty  desert." 

Along  the  path  of  our  pilgrimage  there  are  Elims, 
also,  which  seem  like  very  Edens  for  their  loneliness ; 
where  all  is  melody  to  charm  the  ear,  beauty  to  de- 
J  Gal.  iv.  31. 


ELIM  AND  MARA!/.  59 

light  the  eye,  and  joy  to  rejoice  the  heart.  And 
chiefest  among  ten  thousand  of  these  resting-places 
is  the  day  of  rest,  "the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy 
God."  ^  It  contributed  much  to  the  happiness  of  our 
first  parents  in  Paradise.  As  a  remnant  of  Eden's 
bliss,  it  reminds  us  of  the  joy  of  our  lost  estate,  and 
alleviates  the  sorrows  of  our  present  lot.  It  is  also 
a  sweet  foretaste  of  the  rest  that  remaineth  for  the 
people  of  God.  In  its  brimming  cup  of  blessing  there 
is  no  bitter  ingredient,  every  drop  is  sweet.  It  is 
one  of  "  the  days  of  heaven  upon  the  earth,"  ^  in 
which  the  tired  body  and  the  toiling  mind  may  re- 
lax their  flagging  energies,  and  restore  their  wasting 
strength,  by  resting  from  their  labors. 

Without  this  green  spot  of  shadowing  palms,  spark- 
ling waters,  and  necessary  repose,  what  a  barren, 
boundless,  dry  and  thirsty  land  this  world  would  be! 
Like  a  bow  always  bent,  how  soon  the  body  would 
lose  its  elasticity,  and  the  mind  its  strength:  and 
how  few  and  full  of  evil  man's  days  would  be  !  But, 
blessed  be  God,  we  are  not  without  the  Sabbath  yet. 
This  spiritual  Elim  is  ours  still,  and  we  trust  that  it 
will  be  ours  regularly,  till  it  shall  be  ours  always. 

The  people  found  refreshment  at  Elim  as  well  as 
rest:  "They  came  to  Elim,  where  were  twelve  wells 
of  water  and  threescore  and  ten  palm-trees."  They 
doubtless  did  not  remain  long  at  Marah.  The  place 
was  not  inviting.  The  whole  region  round  about  was 
the  express  image  of  desolation,  a  "waste  howling 
wilderness."^  Tliere  were  no  trees  there  to  temper 
'  Exod.  XX.  10.  2  Deut.  xi.  21.  3  Deut.  xxxii.  10. 


6o  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

the  rays  of  the  smiting  sun,  nor  little  hills  to  break 
the  withering  blast  of  the  desert  wind,  nor  grass  for 
the  cattle,  nor  good  water  to  drink ;  for  as  the  springs 
of  Marah  are  bitter  now,  and  have  been  for  ages  past, 
they  were  not  permanently  sweetened,  but  only  for 
the  great  emergency.  Touched  by  the  healing  tree 
the  waters  flowed  pure  and  pleasant  from  the  bitter 
fountain  till  all  the  people  had  quenched  their  thirst, 
and  then  probably  they  returned  to  their  natural 
condition. 

But  when  the  weary  pilgrims  came  to  Elim,  there 
were  palm-trees  whose  emerald  crowns  were  casting 
friendly  shadows  for  them ;  and  little  hills  to  shelter 
them  from  the  suffocating  winds;  and  tender  grass  on 
every  side;  and  twelve  wells  of  the  purest  water  in 
the  world.  There  the  desert  sun  no  longer  scorched 
like  fire,  and  the  desert  breath  was  changed  to  spicy 
breezes.  And  as  the  cattle  went  peacefully  grazing 
along  the  valley;  and  the  contented  flocks  were  lying 
down  at  noon;  and  the  man 3^  thousands  of  Israel 
were  gathered  in  groups  under  the  trees,  or  stood 
around  the  wells  drinking  freely  of  the  blessed  water, 
was  it  not  a  scene  over  which  satisfaction  smiled? 
The  Lord  tried  His  people  at  Marah,  but  at  Elim  He 
gave  them  real  enjoyment. 

Those  spiritual  Elims  along  our  desert  path  are 
likewise  places  of  refreshment  as  well  as  rest.  At 
the  week  evening  meeting,  we  "  drink  of  the  brook 
in  the  way;"^  and  from  morning  till  evening  of  the 
Sabbath  we  draw  water  with  joy  "  out  of  the  wells 
»  Ps.  ex.  7. 


ELIM  AND  MA  RAH.  6 1 

of  salvation."  ^  And  so  far  as  our  spiritual  supplies 
are  concerned  we  have  the  advantage  every  way 
over  the  Israelites.  As  we  have  already  observed, 
it  was  in  the  spring  season  when  they  came  to  Elim : 
and  while  the  palm-trees  never  cast  their  long,  green 
leaves,  they  only  yielded  their  fruit  once  a  year,  and 
in  the  month  of  April  they  could  shake  down  no 
sweet  dates  from  their  branches,  because  the  buds 
were  just  bursting  into  full  blossom.  Even  at  Elim 
their  food  consisted  of  the  cakes  Avhich  they  brought 
from  Egypt. 

But  at  all  times,  under  all  circumstances,  and  in  all 
seasons,  Jesus  yields  us  fruit  which  is  good  for  food. 
Nay,  He  is  every  thing  to  us.  He  is  our  bread  and 
water,  and  wine  and  milk.  Our  refuge  and  strength, 
"  as  a  hiding  place  from  the  Avind,  and  a  covert  from 
the  tempest;  as  rivers  of  water  in  a  dry  place,  as  the 
shadow  of  a  great  rock  in  a  weary  land."^  It  was 
in  the  spring  season  of  her  love  that  the  bride  thus 
sung  of  Jesus  her  heavenly  Bridegroom :  "  As  the  ap- 
ple-tree among  the  trees  of  the  wood,  so  is  my  Be- 
loved among  the  sons.  I  sat  down  under  His  shadow 
with  great  delight,  and  His  fruit  was  sweet  to  my 
taste." ^  And  in  another  place  He  is  likened  to  "the 
tree  of  life,  which  bare  twelve  manner  of  fruits,  and 
yielded  her  fruit  every  month,"*  which  would  make 
one  hundred  and  forty-four  harvests  in  the  year. 

We  must  go  still  further,  and  tell  you  that  in  the 
most  special  manner,  Jesus  yields  us  fruit  every  week. 

1  Isa.  xii.  3.  2  isa.  xxxii.  2. 

3  Cant.  ii.  3.  4  Kev.  xxii.  2. 


62  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

In  the  wilderness  no  manna  fell  on  the  Sabbath  day; 
but  "the  bread  of  life"^  cometh  down  from  heaven 
more  on  that  day  than  on  any  other.  When  by 
prayer  and  supplication  we  shake  our  sweet  apple- 
tree,  and  the  tree  of  life,  behold,  how  fast  the  ripe 
fruit  falls!  "there  shall  be  showers  of  blessing."^ 
Nay,  more,  Jesus  is  our  daily  food,  and  in  answer 
to  our  pilgrim  prayer,  "  Give  us  this  day  our  daily 
bread,"  ^  our  present  wants  are  all  supplied.  Blessed 
Jesus,  "The  eyes  of  all  wait  upon  thee;  and  thou 
givest  them  their  meat  in  due  season.  Thou  openest 
thine  hand,  and  satisfiest  the  desire  of  every  living 
thhig."^ 

The  refreshment  at  Elim  was  abundant,  "where 
Avere  twelve  wells  of  water,  and  threescore  and  ten 
palm-trees."  In  noticing  the  number  of  these  wells 
and  trees  we  can  not  help  remarking  their  exact 
agreement  with  the  number  of  the  tribes  and  elders 
of  Israel.  There  were  twelve  Avells  and  seventy  trees, 
and  as  there  were  just  twelve  divisions  of  the  people 
and  seventy  rulers,  it  is  not  strange  that  the  Jewish 
teachers  should  have  thought  the  numbers  quite  sig- 
nificant. As  a  curious  and  interesting  coincidence 
the  agreement  of  these  numbers  may  be  mentioned, 
but  it  is  doubtful  whether  any  special  application 
should  be  made  of  them. 

One  thing  however  is  very  certain,  the  numbers 
were  given  in  order  to  teach  that  there  was  abun- 
dant refreshment  at  Elim  for  all  the  children  of  Israel. 

1  John  vi.  35.  2  Ezek.  xxxiv.  26. 

3  Mat.  vi.  11.  4  Ps.  cxlv.  15,  16. 


\  ELIM  AND  MAR  AH.  G^ 

Water  enough  to  quench  the  thirst  of"  all,  and  trees 
enough  to  cast  a  kindly  shadow  over  all.  As  in 
other  places,  sometimes,  the  definite  is  put  for  the 
indefinite  number;  so  here,  the  number  of  the  wells 
and  trees  is  given,  to  signify  that  there  were  wells 
many  and  trees  many :  enough  of  both  to  satisfy  and 
shelter  the  mighty  host  together  with  their  cattle, 
and  the  "mixed  multitude"^  that  followed  the  camp. 
And  as  tlie  people  wandered  freely  among  the  dense 
palm-groves,  and  through  the  green  pastures  which 
sparkled  everywhere  with  the  gleam  of  running  wa- 
ter, not  one  word  of  complaint  escaped  their  Hps. 
No,  there  was  no  murmuring  there. 

In  "  the  glorious  Gospel  of  the  blessed  God,"  -  there 
is  provision  enough  for  a  perishing  world.  In  Christ 
Jesus  there  is  "plenteous  redemption,"^  and  "He  will 
abundantly  pardon."*  And  might  it  not  have  been 
in  token  of  His  abounding  grace  that  He  selected 
twelve  apostles  and  sent  out  seventy  disciples  to 
preach  the  glad  tidings  everywhere.  The  fountain 
of  His  love  is  not  like  a  little  scanty  spring  in  the 
sandy  desert,  round  which  thirsty  travellers,  with 
stony  horror  in  their  looks,  have  need  to  strive  and 
struggle,  soiling  the  water  with  their  feet,  and  pusli- 
ing  one  another  away,  lest  it  should  be  drawn  dry  by 
others  before  they  themselves  can  get  an  opportunity 
to  drink.  Oh  no !  the  fountain  of  redeeming  love  is 
not  like  that.  But  I  will  tell  you  what  it  is  like.  It 
is  like  a  well  of  living  water  springing  up  into  a 

1  Exod.  xii.  38.  2  i  Tim.  i.  11. 

3  Ps.  cxxx.  7.  4  isa.  Iv.  7. 


64  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

mighty,  majestic,  inexhaustible  river,  flowing  deeper, 
broader,  and  purer  in  its  onward  course,  and  on  the 
banks  of  which  all  the  world  might  stand,  and  of 
which  none  need  grudge  lest,  if  others  drink  largely 
and  freely,  there  will  not  enough  be  left  for  them. 

Or  it  is  like  the  holy  waters  in  Ezekiel's  vision. 
His  heavenly  attendant  conducted  the  prophet  to  the 
door  of  the  Temple  and  pointed  to  a  little  stream  that 
"issued  out  from  under  the  threshold  of  the  house 
eastward ; "  ^  and  they  Avent  forth  both  of  them  togeth- 
er and  followed  its  wonderful  course.  "And  when  the 
man  that  had  the  line  in  his  hand  went  forth  east- 
ward, he  measured  a  thousand  cubits,  and  he  brought 
me  through  the  waters;  the  waters  were  to  the  an- 
kles. Again  he  measured  a  thousand,  and  brought 
me  through  the  waters ;  the  waters  were  to  the 
knees.  Again  he  measured  a  thousand,  and  brought 
me  through;  the  waters  were  to  the  loins.  After- 
ward he  measured  a  thousand;  and  it  was  a  river 
that  I  could  not  pass  over :  for  the  waters  were  risen, 
Avaters  to  swim  in,  a  river  that  could  not  be  passed 
over." 

"And  he  said  unto  me.  Son  of  man,  hast  thou  seen 
this?  Then  he  brought  me,  and  caused  me  to  return 
to  the  brink  of  the  river.  Now  when  I  had  returned, 
behold,  at  the  bank  of  the  river  were  very  many  trees 
on  the  one  side  and  on  the  other.  Then  said  he  unto 
me,  These  waters  issue  out  toward  the  east  country, 
and  go  down  into  the  desert,  and  go  into  the  sea: 
which  being  brought  forth  into  the  sea,  the  w^aters 
>  Ezek.  xlvii.  1. 


ELIM  AND  MARAH.  65 

shall  be  healed.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that 
every  thmg  that  liveth,  which  moveth,  whitherso- 
ever the  rivers  shall  come,  shall  live :  and  there  shall 
be  a  very  great  multitude  of  fish,  because  these  wa- 
ters shall  come  thither:  for  they  shall  be  healed;  and 
every  thing  shall  live  whither  the  river  cometh."^ 

And  better  still,  all  people  everywhere  are  invited 
and  entreated  to  come  and  partake  of  "  so  great  sal- 
vation."^ The  royal  proclamation  was  sent  out  long 
ago,  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the 
waters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money;  come  ye,  buy, 
and  eat;  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without 
money  and  without  price."  ^  And  as  if  the  canon  of 
Scripture  could  not  be  completed  without  the  broad- 
est and  most  blessed  invitation  of  all,  we  have  this 
crowning  one  in  its  closing  chapter,  "  The  Spirit  and 
the  bride  say.  Come.  And  let  him  that  heareth  say, 
Come.  And  let  him  that  is  athirst  come.  And  who- 
soever will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely."  * 

Such  are  the  Saviour's  own  pressing  invitations  to 
His  abounding  grace,  and  from  the  moment  they  are 
accepted  He  suffers  us  to  lack  no  good  thing;  "no 
good  thing  will  He  withhold  from  them  that  walk 
uprightly."^  He  gives  us  our  daily  bread,  and  our 
daily  grace.  And  often  He  gives  us  a  change  of  fare, 
and  makes  a  great  supper  for  us.  With  His  own 
hands  His  own  table  is  spread  in  the  wilderness,  and 
furnished  with  the  bread  and  the  wine  of  His  best 
love,  yea  with  His  own  broken  body  and  shed  blood; 

»  Ezek.  xlvii.  3-9.  2  Heb.  ii.  3.  s  isa.  Iv.  1. 

*  Kev.  xxii.  17.  ^  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  11. 

5 


66  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES.    ' 

and  we  have  "  a  feast  of  fat  things,  a  feast  of  wines 
on  tlie  lees,  of  fat  things  full  of  marrow,  of  wines  on 
the  lees  well  refined."^  And  that  we  may  not  feel 
bashful  in  His  banqueting  house,  but  perfectly  at 
home,  He  takes  His  own  place  at  the  head  of  the 
table,  saying,  "  Eat,  0  friends ;  drink,  yea,  drink 
abundantly,  O  beloved."  ^ 

The  children  of  Israel  pitched  their  tents  at  Elim, 
"they  encamped  there  by  the  waters."  They  doubt- 
less did  not  remain  long  at  Marah.  There  is  a  tradi- 
tion among  the  Jews  that  they  tarried  there  only 
one  day,  and  there  is  nothing  in  the  sacred  history 
to  contradict  this  ancient  opinion.  On  the  contrary 
there  are  some  things  which  seem  to  confirm  it. 
Marah  was  a  place  of  great  suffering,  and  great  sin- 
ning, too,  for  the  people  murmured  there.  And  glad 
enough  they  must  have  been  in  the  morning  of  the 
evening  of  their  arriving  there,  to  see  the  cloud  of 
the  divine  presence  rising  from  the  bitter  waters  and 
beckoning  them  away ;  and  after  a  few  hours'  march 
they  came  to  Elim,  where  they  encamped  for  more 
than  twenty  days,  as  the  context  clearly  shows. 

For  one  day,  at  most,  of  suffering  at  Marah,  God 
gave  them,  at  least,  twenty  days  of  joyful  repose  at 
Elim.  "Behold  therefore  the  goodness  and  severity 
of  God."  ^  The  severity,  how  short!  the  goodness, 
how  long !  In  the  desert,  destitute,  and  bitter  region 
of  Marah,  He  would  not  suffer  His  covenant  people 
to  remain  for  more  than  one  day;  but  in  the  green 
pastures,  and  beside  the  sweet  wells,  and  among  the 
I  Isa.  XXV.  6.  2  Cant.  v.  1.  ^  Eom.  xi.  22. 


ELIM  AND  MARAH.  6/ 

delightful  palm-groves  of  Elim,  He  permitted  them 
to  encamp  for  twenty  days. 

We  have  often  noticed  how  it  pleases  our  heavenly 
Father  thus  to  place  one  thing  over  against  another. 
In  the  natural  world  there  is  an  Elim  over  against 
every  Marah — a  fruitful  valley  beyond  every  barren 
hill.  Those  who  go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships  tell 
us  that  there  is  a  calm  after  every  storm,  and  that 
pleasant  weather  prevails.  And  we  all  know  that  the 
bright  and  sunny  days  are  more  in  number  than  the 
cloudy  and  dark  days.  So,  in  the  experience  of  God's 
people,  the  happiness  which  they  enjoy  is  greater 
than  the  misery  which  they  endure.  Every  Marah 
is  not  only  relieved  by  an  Elim,  but  the  "time  to 
laugh"  is  twenty  times  as  long  as  the  "time  to 
mourn." 

It  was  so  with  David,  the  man  after  God's  "own 
heart,"  ^  who  after  wandering  seven  years  in  exile 
reigned  forty  years  over  "  the  glory  of  all  lands."  ^ 
It  was  so  with  good  King  Hezekiah  who  after  a 
few  days  of  "pining  sickness"  Avas  raised  up  from 
his  bed  of  languishing  and  death,  having  received  a 
second  lease  of  life,  for  the  set  time  of  tiiteen  years. 
It  was  so  with  Joseph,  and  more  abundantly,  for 
after  patiently  suffering  thirteen  years  in  an  Egyp- 
tian prison,  he  spent  the  remaining  eighty  years  of 
his  useful  life  in  an  Egyptian  palace.  The  proportion 
varies  greatly,  but  in  every  case  happiness  preponder- 
ates: "For  a  small  moment  have  I  forsaken  thee; 
but  with  great  mercies  will  I  gather  thee.  In  a 
1  I  Sam.  xiii.  14.  2  Ezek.  xx.  6. 


68  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

little  wrath  I  hid  my  face  from  thee  for  a  moment; 
but  with  everlasting  kindness  will  I  have  mercy  on 
thee,  saith  the  Lord  thy  Kedeemer."^ 

Our  own  experience  confirms  the  promises  of  God 
and  corresponds  with  the  history  of  His  people  in 
days  gone  by.  For  the  most  part  our  sky  is  clear. 
It  is  only  now  and  then  that  a  little  cloud  goes  flit- 
ting by,  casting  a  momentary  shadow  across  our  path, 
and  the  time  to  weep  is  shorter  than  the  time  to  re- 
joice. Indeed  the  tears  are  not  worthy  to  be  spoken 
of  in  comparison  of  the  smiles.  As  represented  in  the 
Bible,  weeping  comes  like  a  wayfaring  man  of  a  sad 
countenance,  and  knocking  dolefully  at  the  door,  begs 
a  night's  lodging,  and  rising  up  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, leaves  his  blessing  and  departs.  But  joy  comes 
like  a  friend,  a  member  of  the  family,  like  an  absent 
brother,  perhaps ;  and  Avith  beaming  face  and  bound- 
ing step  bursts  into  the  house  as  his  own  sweet 
home,  and  remains  our  Avelcome  guest  for  many  days ; 
"Weeping  may  endure  for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh  in 
the  morning."*  "Behold  at  evening-tide  trouble;  and 
before  the  morning  he  is  not."^ 

But,  yet,  after  all,  though  Elim  was  such  a  pleas- 
ant place,  the  Israelites  were  not  permitted  to  remain 
there  always:  they  only  "encamped  there  by  the 
waters."  That  charming  valley  was  not  the  land 
of  promise;  Canaan  was  not  in  all  that  country: 
and  leading  His  wayfaring  people  home,  God  would 
not  permit  them  to  cast  away  the  cords  and  curtains 
of  their  tents,  and  gather  stones,  and  cut  down  trees 
»  Isa.  liv.  7.  2  ps.  XXX.  5.  3  Isa.  xvii.  14. 


ELIM  AND  MARAH.  69 

and  build  themselves  permanent  abodes:  and  so  they 
only  pitched,  even  at  Elim. 

There  the  twenty  days  of  pure  delight  went  swiftly 
by  and  soon  were  ended,  and  as  the  people  fell  in  line 
once  more,  and  followed  after  God's  flying  chariot,  we 
will  excuse  them  if  they  lingered  in  the  green  past- 
ures, and  looked  back  through  their  tears  at  the 
palm-trees,  till  finally  in  the  dim  distance,  they  van- 
ished from  their  view;  nor  can  we  wonder  if  their 
hearts  had  taken  root  round  those  wells  of  water. 

However  much  we  may  be  in  love  with  our  spir- 
itual Elims,  we  may  not  abide  beneath  their  palms 
and  beside  their  wells.  How  often  have  we  desired 
to  tarry  longer  in  the  banqueting  house  under  the 
banner  of  the  Saviour's  best  love;  but  we  could  not; 
"For  here  have  we  no  continuing  city,"  ^  "no  certain 
dwelling  place."  ^  We  are  strangers  and  pilgrims, 
"  dwelling  in  tabernacles  with  Isaac  and  Jacob,"  ^ 
and  sojourning  in  our  own  land  as  in  a  strange 
country.  Even  Sabbath  tents  must  needs  be  struck 
every  Monday  morning:  and  holiest  communion  sea- 
sons must  come  to  a  close.  Everywhere  the  sum- 
mons comes  to  us:  "Arise  ye,  and  depart,  for  this  is 
not  your  rest."* 

Amid  all  the  changes,  which  the  region  of  the 
Eed  Sea  has  undergone  during  the  last  thirty-five 
centuries,  the  two  places  which  have  been  the  sub- 
ject of  our  meditation,  Marah  and  Elim,  have  been 
preserved,  and  are  still  sending  out  their  bitter  and 

«  Heb.  xiii.  14.  2  i  Cor.  iv.  11. 

3  Heb.  xi.  9.  4  Mic.  ii.  10. 


70  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

sweet  waters  to  be,  as  it  would  seem,  a  perpetual 
parable  of  life,  which  is  made  up  of  nothing  but 
Marahs  and  Elims  from  its  commencement  to  its 
close.  The  bitter,  too,  is  first  and  then  the  sweet. 
Not  first  Elim  and  then  Marah ;  but  Marah  first  and 
then  Elim.  First  the  cloud  and  then  the  rainbow; 
the  smoking  furnace  and  then  the  burning  lamp; 
the  night  of  weeping  and  then  the  morning  of  joy ; 
and  these  alternately  all  our  journey  through,  till  we 
shall  leave  our  last  Marah  forever,  and  come  to  our 
eternal  EHm — the  rest  that  "  remaineth."  ^ 

Perhaps  some  of  you  have  never  heard  the  reason 
why  one  of  our  southern  states  was  called  by  that 
sweet  name,  Alabama.  It  is  said  that  a  tribe  of  In- 
dians, the  aborigines  of  our  country,  having  been 
driven  southward  by  the  advance  of  civilization,  after 
many  months  of  wearisome  marching,  one  day,  as  the 
sun  was  setting,  lighted  on  a  lovely  country,  a  very 
sanctuary  un violated  by  the  remorseless  white  man. 
There,  on  the  banks  of  a  broad  and  calmly  flow- 
ing river,  where  their  canoes  might  ply,  as  they  sup- 
posed, unmolested  for  ages,  and  in  the  margin  of  a 
magnificent  forest,  Avhere  the  deer  were  sporting  like 
tame  kids,  the  old  chief  struck  the  pole  of  his  tent 
into  the  ground,  and  leaped  up,  exclaiming,  "Ala- 
bama !     Alabama  !  "  here  we  rest :  here  we  rest. 

Dearly  beloved,  heaven  is  our  Alabama,  and  when 

soon  or  late  we  reach  that  happy  land,  being  assured 

that  we  shall  go  no  more  out,  we  can  say  with  more 

significance  than  the  red  man,  here  we  rest:  here  we 

1  Heb.  vi.  9. 


ELIM  AND  MA  RAH,  7 1 

rest.  This  moving  tent  will  then  be  laid  aside,  and 
we  shall  "  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  forever."  ^ 
In  heaven  there  will  be  no  more  Marahs,  no  more 
bitter  disappointments,  no  more  blasted  hopes,  no 
more  broken  hearts,  no  more  bereavements:  "And 
there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor 
crying,  neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain:  for 
the  former  things  are  passed  away."  ^ 

How  beautiful !  how  magnificent !  how  transport- 
ing !  is  the  inspired  description  of  the  better  country. 
Behold,  how  the  waters,  and  the  trees,  and  the  joy 
unspeakable  reappear  in  the  everlasting  Elim  !  "  He 
showed  me  a  pure  river  of  water  of  life,  clear  as  crys- 
tal, proceeding  out  of  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the 
Lamb.  In  the  midst  of  the  street  of  it,  and  on  either 
side  of  the  river,  was  there  the  tree  of  life,  which  bare 
twelve  manner  of  fruits,  and  yielded  her  fruit  every 
month:  and  the  leaves  of  the  tree  were  for  the  heal- 
ing of  the  nations.  And  there  shall  be  no  more 
curse :  but  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb  shall 
be  in  it :  and  His  servants  shall  serve  Him :  and  they 
shall  see  His  face;  and  His  name  shall  be  in  their 
foreheads.  And  there  shall  be  no  night  there;  and 
they  need  no  candle,  neither  light  of  the  sun ;  for  the 
Lord  God  giveth  them  light:  and  they  shall  reign 
forever  and  ever."^ 

"  0  sweet  and  blessed  country, 
Shall  I  ever  see  thy  face  ? 
0  sweet  and  blessed  country, 
Shall  I  ever  win  thy  grace  ?  " 

'  Ps.  xxiii.  6,  2  Kev.  xxi.  4.  3  Rev.  xxii.  1-5. 


72  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

Jesus,  my  God,  my  guide,  my  glory,  my  life,  my  light, 
MY  love  :  I  am  in  the  wilderness ;  but  blessed  be  thy 
name,  I  am  not  alone,  because  thou  art  with  me  here, 
to  choose  all  my  changes,  to  make  the  darkness  light 
before  me,  the  crooked  places  straight,  the  rough 
places  smooth,  and  to  carry  me  over  every  hill  of 
difficulty.  Thou  art  better  than  the  pillared  cloud, 
and  the  ark  of  the  covenant  and  tabernacle  of  the 
testimony;  for  thou  art  the  substance  of  all  the  an- 
cient shadows;  the  ever-living,  never-dying,  and  nev- 
er-changing Friend,  divinest,  sweetest,  best.  Watch 
me,  lead  me,  feed  me,  clothe  me,  defend  me,  support 
me,  save  me,  and  help  me  all  my  journey  through, 
and  bring  me  home  to  rest  in  thee.  Hold  thou  me 
up,  and  then  I  shall  be  safe.  Give  me  the  sweet 
manna  every  morning,  and  that  I  may  have  the 
sweet  sleep  of  thy  beloved  every  night,  put  thy  left 
hand  under  my  head,  and  thy  right  hand  over  my 
heart;  and  for  a  change  of  fare  give  me  thine  own 
great  supper.  When  I  am  weary,  and  discouraged, 
and  desiring  to  die,  and  slumbering  under  the  juniper- 
tree,  wake  me  to  something  better  than  the  prophet's 
baken  cake  and  cruse  of  water,  and  give  me  the  bread 
of  life,  and  the  pure  blood  of  the  grape,  the  wine  that 
goeth  down  sweetly,  causing  the  lips  of  those  that 
are  asleep  to  speak.  And  when  at  last,  through  thy 
great  amazing  grace,  I  shall  reach  the  higher-life 
land,  I  will  cast  myself  at  thy  feet,  saying,  0  to  me, 
the  meanest,  grant  the  meanest  place  among  thy  re- 
deemed, and  1  shall  be  satisfied  with  thy  beholdings. 


OUR    LIGHT    AFFLICTION. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

^'■For  our  light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  mojnent,  worketh  for  us 
a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory. ^^ — II  CoR.  iv.  17. 

ALTHOUGH  there  is  no  attempt  at  literary  excel- 
lence anywhere  in  the  Bible,  yet,  there  is  no 
book  which  possesses  so  many  literary  attractions. 
It  abounds  with  the  best  specimens  of  the  various 
kinds  of  composition,  and  presents  to  the  admiration 
of  the  world,  the  most  beautiful  and  sublime  sen- 
tences that  were  ever  written.  For  the  most  part, 
its  language  is  pure  and  simple,  but  many  of  God's 
thoughts  are  too  great  to  be  expressed  by  the  strong- 
est terms;  and  often  the  inspired  writers  were  obliged 
to  coin  new  words  and  form  unusual  figures  of  speech, 
and  sometimes  these  are  heaped  one  upon  another,  if 
by  any  means  the  exact  truth  might  be  conveyed  to 
us  and  comprehended  by  us. 

The  text  is  one  of  these  literary  attractions,  as  many 
of  you  must  have  noticed.  It  engages,  at  once,  the 
attention  of  the  most  intelligent  reader  and  challenges 
his  admiration.  He  may  be  an  infidel  or  an  atheist, 
but  he  can  not  help  confessing,  that  this  short  passage 
of  Scripture  is  one  of  the  finest  sentences  which  can 
be  found  in  any  language. 

But  the  text  is  more  and  better  than  beautiful.     Its 


76  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

"  apples  of  gold  "  ^  are  more  to  be  desired  than  their 
sih^er  basket.  \j\.  it  our  present  and  future  state  are 
contrasted,  and  the  influence  which  the  one  has  upon 
the  other  is  plainly  stated ;  and  the  excellent  form  of 
the  sentence  is  less  than  nothing  in  comparison  of  its 
more  excellent  matter. 

Probably  no  portion  of  revelation  has  been  more 
highly  prized.  Its  sweet  and  precious  words  are 
easily  remembered,  fondly  cherished,  and  frequently 
quoted.  Like  a  missionary  angel,  arrayed  in  a  heav- 
enly dress,  it  comes  on  a  special  errand  to  the  sons 
and  daughters  of  sorrow;  knocking  gently  at  the 
door  of  tribulation  and  anguish,  it  leaves  its  bene- 
diction, Avhich  makes  the  house  of  mourning  better 
than  the  house  of  feasting.  It  has  charmed  down 
more  rising  griefs  than  there  are  hairs  on  our  head: 
it  has  chased  away  more  black  doubts  than  there  are 
stars  in  the  sky :  it  has  chained  in  their  dungeon  more 
thieving  thoughts  than  there  are  sands  on  the  sea- 
shore. With  its  heavenly  balm  it  has  bound  up  more 
bruised  reeds,  strengthened  more  weak  hands,  and 
confirmed  more  feeble  knees,  than  all  the  philosophy 
of  the  world.  It  helped  the  noble  army  of  martyrs 
to  glorify  the  Lord  in  the  fires;  it  has  made  happy 
the  orphan's  lonely  home  and  caused  the  widow's 
heart  to  sing  for  joy.  Nay,  more,  it  pours  the  sweet- 
est and  the  strongest  consolations  into  the  soul  of  the 
sick  and  dying  saint,  turning  "the  shadow  of  death 
into  the  morning."  ^  Nor  will  its  blessed  mission  be 
ended  in  the  earth,  till  the  last  of  the  blood- washed 
1  Prov.  XXV.  11.  2  Amos  v.  8. 


OUR  LIGHT  AFFLICTION.  7/ 

throng  shall  be  crowned  with  "  beauty  for  ashes," 
and  go  np  out  of  all  tribulation  to  that  heaven  where 
"they  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more."^ 

A  theme  so  interesting  in  itself,  which  has  done  so 
much  to  lighten  the  load  of  poverty,  SAveeten  the  cup 
of  sorrow,  and  which  makes  the  dark  valley  the  shin- 
ing way  to  the  New  Jerusalem,  is  worthy  of  our 
prayerful  study,  and  as  it  passes  under  review,  we 
trust,  it  will  prove  profitable  to  all;  and  especially  to 
those  to  whom  it  may  be  a  word  in  season:  "For  our 
light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh 
for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of 
glory." 

The  sorrows  of  this  life  and  the  joys  of  the  life 
to  come  are  here  contrasted  by  one  who,  through 
personal  experience  and  observation,  was  better  ac- 
quainted with  them  than  any  of  the  saints.  Paul's 
trials  were  greater  than  those  of  other  men,  and  his 
knowledge  of  the  glory  to  be  revealed  was  better, 
because  he  had  been  to  heaven  once :  so  that  in  the 
text  he  speaks  of  what  he  kncAv,  and  testifies  of  wliat 
he  had  seen. 

The  contrast  is  very  striking.  Affliction  and  glory 
are  set  over  against  each  other:  the  affliction  is  light, 
the  glory  is  a  weight.  The  affliction  is  but  for  a 
moment,  the  glory  is  eternal ;  and  not  only  so,  but  it 
it  is  "a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of 
glory."  The  highest  superlative  form  of  speech  was 
not  strong  enough  to  express  his  idea  of  heaven, 
and  so  the  apostle  has  constructed  the  most  inten- 
1  Rev.  vii.  16. 


'/^  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

sive,  energetic  and  emphatic  sentence  anywhere  to 
be  found,  and  yet  these  weighty,  well-chosen,  and 
inspired  words  leave  altogether  untouched  the  bound- 
ary lines  of  the  excellent  glory.  It  may  be  experi- 
enced, but  it  can  not  be  expressed:  "For  God,  who 
commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath 
shined  in  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ."  ^ 

Affliction  is  any  sorrow  which  may  be  sent  upon 
us  by  our  heavenly  Father,  such  as  sickness,  the  loss 
of  reputation,  or  the  loss  of  property.  And  here  it 
is  necessary  to  say,  that  while  all  afflictions  are  suf- 
ferings, all  sufferings  are  not  afflictions.  The  blow 
must  come  from  the  hand  of  God.  Self-inflicted  suf- 
fering is  not  affliction.  A  man  may  give  his  body  to 
be  burned  for  the  sin  of  his  soul,  but  it  can  not  be 
said  that  he  is  afflicted,  because  he  is  the  author  of  his 
own  torments:  if,  however,  he  is  persecuted  for  right- 
eousness' sake,  then  his  sufferings  take  on  the  char- 
acter described  in  the  text.  Paul's  sufferings  were 
chiefly  of  this  sort:  they  came  upon  him  in  the  dis- 
charge of  duty,  because  he  loved  the  Saviour  and 
served  him  for  love :  living  only  to  preach  His  Gos- 
pel and  glory  in  His  cross. 

Often  our  sorest  afflictions  are  not  visible  to  the 
world,  nor  to  our  nearest  and  dearest  friends.  There 
are  silent,  secret  sorrows  that  may  not  speak  and  must 
not  be  spoken  of;  and  these  are  by  far  the  most  com- 
mon and  the  most  crushing  in  their  pressure.  When 
Abraham  was  so  strangely  commanded  to  make  a 
1  II  Cor.  iv.  6. 


OUR  LIGHT  AFFLICTION.  79 

burnt  -  offering  of  Isaac,  and  so  strangely  obeyed, 
there  was  no  human  being  to  Avhom  he  might  un- 
burden his  breaking  heart.  He  could  not  speak  to 
Sarah  about  the  proposed  sacrifice  of  her  one  only 
son,  because  she  never  would  have  suffered  him  to 
be  led  away  "as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter;"^  neither 
could  he  mention  the  matter  to  the  servants,  who  ac- 
companied him  on  the  journey,  because  they  would 
have  rescued  the  dear  idol  of  the  household,  and  taken 
him  home  to  his  mother;  neither  could  he  speak  to 
Isaac  about  the  divine  behest,  because,  as  they  climbed 
the  hill,  both  of  them  together,  the  limber  lad  might 
have  darted  away  through  the  thicket,  and  escaped 
for  his  life,  "as  a  roe  from  the  hand  of  the  hunter, 
and  as  a  bird  from  the  hand  of  the  fowler."^  And 
now,  as  then,  these  dumb  sorrows  are  the  most  de- 
vouring; "The  heart  knoweth  his  own  bitterness.'' ' 

It  is  also  necessary  that  these  sufferings  should  be 
endured  by  the  people  of  God.  They  must  be  "our" 
afflictions.  The  same  stroke  which  is  an  affliction  to 
the  saint,  and  is  designed  to  do  him  good,  is  a  judg- 
ment to  the  impenitent  sinner,  and  is  sent  as  the  pun- 
ishment of  some  transgression.  "Wherefore  doth  a 
living  man  complain,  a  man  for  the  punishment  of 
his  sins?"^ 

There  Avas  an  ancient  sect  of  philosophers  who 
believed,  and  taught,  that  all  things  were  fixed  by 
fate,  and  that  the  fates  should  be  submitted  to  with- 
out gainsaying:  that,  so  far  as  possible,  the  passions 

1  Isa.  liii.  7.  2  Prov.  vi.  5. 

3  Prov.  xiv.  10.  4  Lam.  iii.  39. 


So  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

and  affections  shonld  be  restrained  and  snppressed; 
that  happiness  consisted  in  the  insensibility  of  the 
soul  to  pain;  and  that  there  should  be  no  rejoicing 
over  any  good,  nor  mourning  over  any  evil.  And 
the  degree  of  indifference  to  which  the  disciples  of 
Zeno  attained  in  contemplating  the  course  of  human 
events  is  very  Avonderful.  The  loss  of  their  children 
they  regarded  no  more  than  the  loss  of  their  cattle. 

But  we  are  not  stoics;  our  hard  and  stony  hearts 
have  been  taken  away  and  we  have  hearts  of  flesh : 
hearts  that  bleed  and  break ;  hearts  like  the  Saviour's 
own  which  sometimes  overflowed  with  tears.  And 
though  we  know  for  certain,  that  our  afflictions  are 
sent  from  heaven  to  make  us  wiser  and  better,  never- 
theless they  are  hard  to  bear,  and  often  in  the  great- 
ness of  our  grief,  we  seek  a  place  apart  to  weep ;  and 
sometimes  our  sorrows  are  too  great  for  even  tears, 
except  those  which  only  the  soul  can  shed. 

But  while  our  heavenly  Father  would  not  have  us 
harden  our  hearts  when  He  handles  the  rod  for  our 
correction  and  exaltation,  we  should  never  abandon 
ourselves  to  excessive  grief,  and  cherish  our  miseries 
as  if  they  were  our  choicest  mercies:  this  would  be 
flying  to  the  other  extreme,  and  could  be  counted 
scarcely  better  than  to  be  "without  natural  affec- 
tion."^ When  the  hand  of  God  is  lifted  up  against 
us,  we  should  look  away  from  the  present  affliction 
to  the  coming  glory,  being  assured  that  the  splendors 
of  the  one  will  alleviate  the  sorrows  of  the  other; 
"while  we  look  not  at  the  things  which  are  seen, 
1  II  Tim.  iii.  3. 


OUR  LIGHT  AFFLICTION.  8 1 

but  at  the  things  which  are  not  seen :  for  the  things 
which  are  seen  are  temporal;  but  the  things  which 
are  not  seen  are  eternal."^ 

What  this  glory  is,  of  course  we  can  not  tell.  Paul 
could  not  though  he  had  seen  it.  When  he  returned 
from  paradise,  it  was  not  possible  for  him  to  relate 
what  he  had  heard  and  seen.  And  we,  who  have 
never  been  there,  should  never  make  the  vain  attempt 
to  depict  the  blessedness  of  the  "better  country":  "as 
it  is  written,  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither 
have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  the  things  which 
God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  Him."  ^ 

Nevertheless,  we  may  know  something  about  heaven 
now.  In  the  grapes  and  pomegranates  and  figs  which 
Caleb  and  Joshua  brought  back  from  Canaan,  to  con- 
firm their  good  report  of  the  land,  the  Israelites  learned 
something  about  the  exceeding  fruitfulness  of  their 
future  home.  And,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  it  is  our 
privilege  to  have  many  a  sweet  foretaste  of  the  para- 
dise to  which  we  are  going.  Almost  every  day,  faith 
and  hope  are  crossing  the  river,  and  coming  again 
with  perfect  peace  and  perfect  love  for  us.  The  con- 
stant indwelling  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise  is  ex- 
pressly called,  "the  earnest  of  our  inheritance;""  the 
real  presence  of  the  Saviour  makes  the  wilderness  a 
wealthy  place:  the  weekly  Sabbath,  when  properly 
observed,  is  a  short  segment  of  our  everlasting  rest; 
the  happiness  of  heaven  is  nothing  but  the  perfection 
of  holiness,  and  its  glory  is  only  the  ripe  fruit  of 
grace. 

1  II  Cor.  iv.  18.  2  I  Cor.  ii.  9.  3  Eph.  i.  14. 

6 


82  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

These  two  things,  grace  and  glory,  are  the  same  in 
substance :  they  are  only  different  names  for  different 
degrees  of  Christian  experience;  grace  is  glory  in  the 
blade,  glory  is  grace  in  full  corn ;  grace  is  glory  be- 
gun beloAv,  glory  is  grace  completed  above.  But 
though  now  we  may  know  much  of  glory  through 
grace,  neither  now  nor  hereafter  shall  Ave  be  able  to 
comprehend  it  all.  "  Such  knowledge  is  too  wonder- 
ful for  me;  it  is  high,  I  can  not  attain  unto  it."  ^  It 
will  always  be  too  wonderful,  and  we  shall  never  be 
able  to  attain  unto  it. 

In  the  high  school  of  heaven  we  shall  be  ever 
learning,  but  we  shall  never  complete  the  course  of 
study,  nor  take  the  last  degree.  As  fast  as  one  mys- 
tery of  godliness  shall  be  explained,  another  shall  be 
presented.  "Things  to  come "^  will  be  always  com- 
ing, and  always  "things  to  come."  We  shall  also 
advance  in  happiness  and  our  joy  shall  be  full,  but 
the  "fulness  of  joy"  ^  will  never  be  exhausted.  In  the 
sacred  science  of  mathematics  there  is  a  certain  prob- 
lem in  which  it  is  proved,  beyond  a  peradventure, 
that  two  lines  may  be  forever  approaching  each  other 
and,  yet,  never  meet.  So  we  shall  be  always  draw- 
ing nearer  to  God,  in  the  holy  joy  of  heaven,  and  God 
will  be  always  drawing  nearer  to  us ;  but  Avhile  eter- 
nal ages  roll,  this  prayer  of  Moses  shall  be  thine  and 
mine,  "I  beseech  thee  shoAv  me  thy  glory."*  As  we 
rise  from  rapture  to  rapture,  and  from  glory  to  glory, 
the  scenes  of  bliss  Avill  be  ever  new,  and  the  Lamb 

'  Ps.  cxxxix.  6.  2  I  Cor.  iii.  22. 

3  Ps.  xvi.  11.  4  Exod.  xxxiii.  18. 


OUR  LIGHT  AFFLICTION.  83 

who  leads  us  along  the  crystal  rivers  of  delight  will 
be  ever  saying,  as  He  said  to  Nathanael,  "Thou 
shalt  see  greater  things  than  these."  ^ 

Looking  again  at  the  contrasting  words,  you  will 
notice  that  the  aJSliction  is  light  and  the  glory  is  a 
weight.  Afflictions  are  seldom  light  in  themselves, 
and  sometimes  they  are  burdens  too  grievous  to  be 
borne.  The  Scriptures  do  not  strive  to  soften  down 
the  blows  by  which  our  hearts  are  broken,  and  left 
long  bleeding.  They  are  spoken  of  as  "much  trib- 
ulation," and  "great  tribulation."  They  are  often 
likened  to  the  cross  under  which  Jesus  fainted,  and 
on  which  Jesus  died ;  and  in  one  place  they  are  called 
"a  great  fight  of  afflictions."^ 

The  apostle's  afflictions  were  any  thing  else  but 
light.  They  consisted  of  poverty,  and  reproach,  and 
scourging,  and  stoning,  and  imprisonment,  and  con- 
stant exposure  to  death;  he  drained  the  cup  of  sor- 
row to  the  dregs,  and  suffered  more  than  any  other 
martyr;  yet  he  speaks  of  his  afflictions  as  if  they 
were  light,  and  they  were  light  and  found  wanting, 
when  cast  into  the  balance  against  the  weight  of 
glory.  As  this  great  globe  of  ours,  with  all  its  land 
and  water,  is  but  the  merest  speck  in  space,  and  so 
very  small  that  it  can  not  be  seen  from  most  of  the 
stars,  and  so  light  that  it  is  less  than  nothing  in  the 
scales  of  the  Almighty;  and  as  its  circumference  is 
but  the  centre  of  that  greater  circumference  described 
in  the  beginning  by  the  golden  compasses  of  God:  so 
our  afflictions,  overwhelming  as  they  often  are,  and 
J  John  i.  50.  2  Heb.  x.  32. 


84  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

our  greatest  tribulations,  are  both  little  and  light  and 
the  most  insignificant  trifles,  when  contrasted  with 
the  exceeding  blessedness  of  heaven.  "  For  I  reck- 
on"^—  observe  how  the  apostle  is  speaking  like  a 
Professor  of  the  highest  Mathematics,  as  if  he  had 
been  busy  striving  to  solve  the  great  problem,  put- 
ting down  the  known  and  the  unknown  quantities  of 
"things  present"  and  "things  to  come,"  all  of  which 
were  known  to  him,  performing  all  the  processes,  and 
reaching  at  last  this  sublime  conclusion — "  that  the  suf- 
ferings of  this  present  time  are  not  worthy  to  be  com- 
pared with  the  glory  which  shall  be  revealed  in  us." 

The  Hebrew  word  for  glory  means  weight,  and  as 
Paul  was  an  Hebrew,  and  had  just  used  a  double 
hyperbole,  which  was  the  Hebrew  form  of  denoting 
the  highest  superlative,  that  meaning  of  the  word 
was  probably  in  his  mind  when  he  penned  this  won- 
derful expression.  It  signifies  something  so  heavy  as 
to  constitute  a  burden.  It  may  refer  to  the  marks 
and  manifestations  of  royalty,  such  as  the  purple  robe 
heavy  with  gold,  the  imperial  crown  heav}^  with  dia- 
monds, and  the  glittering  sceptre  heavy  with  pearls 
and  all  manner  of  precious  stones.  But  though  the 
glory  is  w^eighty  enough  to  be  a  burden,  it  will  never 
be  burdensome.  The  sanctified  spirit,  and  the  "spir- 
itual body"  will  be  adapted  to  the  excellent  glory 
into  which  they  shall  be  received,  and  shall  enjoy 
tliose  things  which  now  they  could  not  endure.  We 
shall  never  be  sensible  of  fatigue  nor  need  repose. 
"There  shall  be  no  night  there," ^  and  during  all 
1  Kom.  viii.  18.  2  Rev.  xxii.  5. 


OUR  LIGHT  AFFLICTION.  85 

the  everlasting  day  our  eyes  shall  never  slumber; 
our  v^ings  shall  never  droop;  our  hands  shall  never 
weary;  and  our  feet  shall  never  th-e,  as  we  enter 
into  "the  temple,  walking,  and  leaping  and  prais- 
ing God."^  "The  four  beasts  had  each  of  them  six 
wings  about  him ;  and  they  were  full  of  eyes  within ; 
and  they  rest  not  day  and  night  saying.  Holy,  hol}^ 
holy,  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  was,  and  is,  and  is 
to  come."  ^ 

As  Ave  glance,  once  more,  at  the  beautiful  contrast, 
you  will  notice  that  our  light  affliction  "is  but  for 
a  moment "  and  the  weight  of  glory  is  "  eternal." 
Trials  always  seem  long,  and  sometimes  they  are 
long.  Often  a  single  night  of  anguish  appears  of 
an  interminable  length.  "When  I  lie  down,  I  say, 
When  shall  I  arise,  and  the  night  be  gone?  and  I  am 
full  of  tossings  to  and  fro  unto  the  dawning  of  the 
day."'  The  weary,  waking,  weeping  hours  creep  so 
slowly  along  we  would  like  to  give  them  wings  to  fly 
swiftly  away.  The  eagerly  watched  for  morning  is 
so  long  in  coming,  it  seems  as  if  it  never  would  be 
morning. 

But  there  are  some  who  have  wearisome  years 
appointed  unto  them.  Poverty  is  their  perpetual  por- 
tion, and  they  are  perplexed  about  what  they  shall 
eat,  and  what  they  shall  drink,  and  wherewithal  they 
shall  be  clothed:  or  adversity  follows  them  unremit- 
tingly, never  permitting  the  bright  liglit  to  break 
through  the  black  clouds:  or  they  are  always  sick, 
from  their  birth  to  their  burial,  and  never  eat  with 
'  Acts  iii.  8.  2  Rev.  iv.  8.  3  Job  vii.  4. 


86  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

any  pleasure.  Some  of  the  Saviour's  patients,  whom 
He  so  kindly  healed,  had  borne  their  infirmities  for 
a  long  time;  one  for  "twelve  years;  "^  another  for 
"  eighteen  years  ;  "  ^  and  still  another  "  thirty  and 
eight  years." ^  And  occasionally  we  meet  with  those 
now  who  are  tormented  with  divers  diseases  all  their 
lives.  As  fast  as  one  complaint  is  cured  another 
comes.  In  all  their  days,  which  may  be  many,  there 
is  not  a  single  day  of  rest,  or  health,  or  happiness: 
their  life  is  a  lingering  death,  and  "the  last  enemy"* 
would  be  more  welcome  than  their  dearest  friend: 
"Which  long  for  death,  but  it  cometh  not;  and  dig 
for  it  more  than  for  hid  treasures ;  which  rejoice  ex- 
ceedingly, and  are  glad,  Avhen  they  can  find  the 
grave."  ^ 

Some  of  Paul's  afilictions  were  of  this  kind.  His 
bodily  health,  which  was  probably  never  very  good, 
seems  to  have  been  permanently  broken  about  the 
time  of  his  conversion ;  and  there  was  a  thorn  in  his 
flesh  piercing  him  daj^  and  night  without  ceasing,  for 
more  than  thirty  years.  Besides,  from  the  beginning 
to  the  end  of  his  wonderful  career  of  well-doing,  there 
was  no  rest  for  him,  till  he  sealed  his  testimony  with 
his  blood.  At  home  and  abroad,  by  Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles, he  was  hated  and  hunted,  "  as  when  one  doth 
hunt  a  partridge  in  the  mountains."*  And  yet  he 
speaks  of  these  long-sufierings  as  if  they  were  short 
and  evanescent:  "our  light  afiiiction  which  is  but 
for  a  moment : "  like  snow-flakes  on  the  water  in  the 

1  Mat.  ix.  20.  2  Luke  xiii.  16.  ^  John  v.  5. 

4  I  Cor.  XV.  26.         6  Job  iii.  21,  22.  ^  i  gam.  xxvi.  20. 


OUR  LIGHT  AFFLICTION.  8/ 

month  of  May,  melting  as  they  fall;  like  flying  me- 
teors in  the  sky,  that  pass  away  before  you  can  point 
the  place. 

And  such  our  afflictions  truly  and  actually  are, 
when  contrasted  with  the  eternal  weight  of  glory  yet 
to  come.  "The  last  jewel  of  our  crown  is  that  it 
will  be  an  everlasting  rest."  Our  afflictions  may  be 
lasting,  but  they  can  not  be  everlasting.  The  longest 
road  will  have  a  termination,  but  the  perfect  love  and 
perfect  joy  of  heaven  shall  have  no  end.  Forever 
and  forever  is  the  double  twisted  cord  with  which 
the  bundle  of  bliss  shall  be  bound  up  for  the  sons  and 
daughters  of  the  Lord  Almighty.  "  The  sun  shall  be 
no  more  thy  light  by  day;  neither  for  brightness  shall 
the  moon  give  light  unto  thee:  but  the  Lord  shall 
be  unto  thee  an  everlasting  light,  and  thy  God  thy 
glory.  Thy  sun  shall  no  more  go  down;  neither  shall 
thy  moon  withdraw  itself:  for  the  .Lord  shall  be  thine 
everlasting  light,  and  the  days  of  thy  mourning  shall 
be  ended."  ^ 

The  longest  life  twice  told  is  but  a  moment  in  com- 
parison of  eternity:  "For  what  is  your  life?  It  is 
even  a  vapor,  that  appeareth  for  a  little  time,  and 
then  vanisheth  away."^  What  were  Paul's  life-long 
sorrows  when  weighed  against  the  eighteen  hundred 
years  of  joy  which  he  has  already  had  in  heaven  ? 
And  yet  these  eighteen  centuries  are  hardly  long 
enough  to  be  called  the  introduction  to  the  everlast- 
ing rest,  and  the  great  apostle  must  be  lingering  still 
in  the  vestibule  of  glory. 

1  Isa.  Ix.  19,  20.  2  James  iv.  14. 


88  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

But  there  is  something  more  and  better  in  the  text 
than  the  interesting  contrast  which  we  have  been 
considering ;  there  is  an  important  connection  be- 
tween the  affliction  and  the  glory.  They  are  inti- 
mately related  to  each  other,  as  cause  and  effect. 
The  one  is  the  procuring  cause  of  the  other;  not  the 
meritorious  cause :  we  do  not  earn  the  glory  by  suf- 
fering ever  so  much;  but  we  are  prepared  for  it  by 
suffering,  as  it  was  prepared  for  us.  Our  afflictions 
are  sent  upon  us  for  a  particular  purpose:  they  are 
the  special  messengers  of  our  heavenly  Father ;  they 
are  both  His  servants  and  our  own,  and  in  their 
friendly  mission  they  are  exceedingly  efficacious  and 
successful.  They  are  the  stone-cutters  and  wood-cut- 
ters, the  masons  and  the  carpenters:  the  wise  master- 
builders  and  the  bearers  of  burdens:  the  Bezaleels 
and  Aholiabs  who  have  charge  of  the  construction 
of  our  "spiritual  house," ^  and  day  and  night,  in  sea- 
son and  out  of  season,  they  are  always  busy  toiling 
for  us.  "  Our  light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  mo- 
ment, worketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eter- 
nal weight  of  glory." 

And  in  striving  to  show  you  how  this  blessed  re- 
sult is  accomplished,  it  must  be  remarked  that  afflic- 
tions wean  us  from  the  world.  Knowing  the  ten- 
dency of  the  human  heart  to  twine  itself  around 
the  things  of  time  and  sense,  our  heavenly  Father 
admonishes  us  to  set  our  affections  on  things  above, 
not  on  things  on  the  earth.  "  Love  not  the  world, 
neither  the  things  that  are  in  the  world.  If  any  man 
1  I  Pet.  ii.  5. 


OUR  LIGHT  affliction:  89 

love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him."' 
In  the  same  spirit,  and  almost  in  the  same  words,  our 
Elder  Brother  says,  "  Lay  not  np  for  yourselves  treas- 
ures upon  earth,  where  moth  and  rust  doth  corrupt, 
and  where  thieves  break  through  and  steal :  but  lay 
up  for  yourselves  treasures  in  heaven,  where  neither 
moth  nor  rust  doth  corrupt,  and  where  thieves  do 
not  break  through  nor  steal:  for  where  your  treasure 
is,  there  will  your  heart  be  also."^ 

But  the  best  of  us  give  no  earnest  heed  to  these 
divine  behests.  Professing  to  have  abandoned  the 
pomps  and  vanities  of  the  world,  as  our  riches,  and 
honors,  and  pleasures  increase,  we  set  our  hearts 
more  firmly  on  them:  and  not  unfrequently  the  life 
that  now  is,  engages  more  of  our  attention  than  the 
life  to  come. 

Prosperity  and  spirituality  are  not  congenial,  and 
usually  as  the  one  waxes  the  other  wanes.  The  rich- 
est Christians  ought  to  be  the  best  and  most  useful 
members  of  the  church :  relieved  from  taking  thought 
for  the  morrow,  they  might  spend  all  their  time  walk- 
ing in  the  footsteps  of  the  Master,  "  who  went  about 
doing  good."^  But,  as  a  general  rule,  those  follow- 
ers of  the  Saviour  who  are  the  most  prosperous  in 
worldly  matters  are  the  most  worldly-minded.  The 
burning  and  shining  lights  of  poverty  and  obscurity 
seldom  burn  so  well  and  shine  so  bright  when  set 
on  a  golden  candlestick.  When  they  were  packing 
up  their  goods,  to  quit  the  lowly  cottage,  they  left 
their  "first  love";*  and  on  the  way  to  the  golden 
1 1  John  ii.  15.        2  Mat.  vi.  19-21.       3  Acts  x.  38.        *  Kev.  ii.  4. 


90  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES, 

mansion  they  lost  their  testimony:  "The  prosperity 
of  fools  shall  destroy  them."  ^  The  gifts  of  God  which 
should  constrain  them  to  love  Him  more  and  serve 
Him  better  rather  hardens  their  hearts:  they  love 
their  blessings  so  supremely,  and  lean  on  them  so 
confidently,  and  draw  so  much  sweet  comfort  from 
them,  that  at  last  they  are  deemed  all-sufficient,  and 
the  bountiful  Giver  of  them  all  is  not  in  all  their 
thoughts.  "  He  made  him  ride  on  the  high  places  of 
the  earth,  that  he  might  eat  the  increase  of  the  fields; 
and  He  made  him  to  suck  honey  out  of  the  rock,  and 
oil  out  of  the  flinty  rock;  butter  of  kine,  and  milk 
of  sheep,  with  fat  of  lambs,  and  rams  of  the  breed  of 
Bashan,  and  goats,  with  the  fat  of  kidneys  of  wheat ; 
and  thou  didst  drink  the  pure  blood  of  the  grape. 
But  Jeshurun  waxed  fat  and  kicked."^ 

But,  if  these  are  the  .children  of  the  kingdom,  God 
will  not  forsake  them  when  they  forsake  Him.  If 
they  will  not  hear  His  word.  He  will  make  them  hear 
His  rod :  if  they  will  not  listen  to  the  still,  small  voice 
of  His  Spirit,  He  will  speak  louder  by  His  providence, 
and  still  louder,  till  they  do  hear.  The  Babylonish 
captivity  was,  doubtless,  the  greatest  calamity  that 
ever  came  on  any  nation ;  but  it  came  because  God's 
house  was  deserted,  because  His  Sabbath  was  broken, 
and  because  He  Himself  was  forgotten.  Bad  as  the 
peculiar  people  were,  their  covenant-keeping  Father 
would  not  abandon  them  when  they  abandoned  Him ; 
and  so  Pie  sent  them  into  slavery,  to  set  them  free 
from  sin :  and,  after  seventy  years  of  suffering,  when 
J  Prov.  i.  32.  'i  Deut.  xxxii.  13-15. 


OUR  LIGHT  AFFLICTION.  9 1 

they  were  restored  to  their  right  minds,  and  their 
backslidings  were  all  healed,  He  brought  them  home 
again. 

After  the  same  manner,  om'  heavenly  Father  is  con- 
strained to  deal  with  us.  When  we  are  tempted  to 
say  in  our  prosperity,  "I  shall  die  in  my  nest," ^  "I 
shall  never  be  moved,"  ^  straightway  the  nest  is  stirred 
up  and  trouble  comes.  When  we  forget  God  who 
gives  us  all  our  blessings.  He  takes  our  blessings 
all  away;  when  we  forsake  Him,  He  sends  sorrow 
after  us,  in  the  chariot  "  paved  with  love,"  ^  to  bring 
us  back  from  our  heart  wanderings.  And  when  we 
love  the  creature  more  than  the  Creator,  He  is  so 
jealous  that  He  takes  to  Himself  the  dearest  idols 
we  have  known:  "and,  as  the  hounds  easily  follow 
the  scent  before  the  dew  is  risen,  so  God  teaches  us, 
while  yet  our  sorrow  is  wet,  to  folhjw  on  and  find  our 
dear  ones  in  heaven." 

We  have  read  of  one  who,  in  his  outward  estate, 
was  prospered  more  than  he  ever  expected  to  be. 
The  gentleness  of  God  made  him  rich  and  great; 
but  he  suffered  the  world  to  encroach  so  much  upon 
his  afiections,  that  the  ardor  of  his  piety  was  sensibly 
diminished.  The  disease  was  desperate,  and  demand- 
ed a  desperate  remedy.  First  of  all,  the  wife  of  his 
bosom  melted  from  his  embrace,  but  still  he  remained 
worldly-minded  ;*  then  a  dear  son  vanished  from  his 
view,  but  though  the  symptoms  were  more  favorable 
now,  he  was  not  restored;  then  his  crops  failed  and 
his  cattle  died,  still  his  grasp  on  the  world  was  not 
1  Job  xxix.  18.  2  Ps.  XXX.  6.  3  Caut.  iii.  10. 


92  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

unloosed;  then  God  reached  hither  His  hand  out  of 
heaven  and  smote  him  with  a  "  pining  sickness,"  ^ 
the  world,  however,  still  occupied  too  much  of  his 
thoughts;  finally  his  house  caught  fire,  and  as  he 
was  carried  from  the  burning  building,  he  exclaimed, 
"  Blessed  be  God,  I  am  cured  at  last." 

It  must  be  observed  further,  that  afflictions  are  sent 
upon  us  to  develop  our  character.  The  mental  fac- 
ulties of  many  persons  are  so  often  drawn  out  and 
developed  by  the  circumstances  in  which  they  are 
placed,  that  it  has  passed  into  a  proverb  that  "circum- 
stances make  men."  A  man  in  easy  circumstances, 
having  enough  and  to  spare,  and  nothing  to  do,  is 
apt  to  float  quietly  along  on  the  stream  of  time,  and 
ofi"  into  the  ocean  of  eternity,  leaving  no  track  and 
making  no  sign.  But  if  he  had  been  placed  in  cir- 
cumstances which  were  calculated  to  call  forth  the 
latent  powers  within  him,  he  might  have  walked  in 
a  starry  path  to  the  highest  pinnacle  of  renown,  and 
placed  the  whole  world  under  tribute  to  his  usefulness. 

So  a  Christian,  who  has  nothing  to  try  him,  has 
nothing  to  make  him  such  a  Christian  as  he  might 
become.  His  twelve  labors  made  the  Hercules :  An- 
taeus rose  stronger  after  every  fall  to  the  ground. 
These  fables  are  turned  into  facts  in  the  history  of 
God's  suffering  people,  "Who  passing  through  the 
valley  of  Baca  make  it  a  well ;  the  rain  also  fiUeth 
the  pools.  They  go  from  strength  to  strength."^ 
Vessels  meet  for  the  Master's  use  are  not  made  with- 
out the  fire  and  the  hammer,  and  the  best  and  most 
•  Isa.  xxxviii.  12.  2  ps.  Ixxxiv.  6,  7. 


OUR  LIGHT  AFFLICTION.  93 

beautiful  of  these  receive  the  most  blows.  Moses 
was  the  meekest  man,  and  Job  was  the  most  patient 
man,  because  their  trials  blossomed  into  these  graces. 
*'  Tribulation  worketh  patience ;  and  patience,  experi- 
ence."^ And  Paul  was  the  greatest  and  the  most 
useful  of  the  holy  men  of  old,  because  he  was  the 
greatest  sufferer.  His  meat  and  drink  were  "the 
bread  of  adversity,  and  the  water  of  affliction,"  ^  and 
these  were  better  every  way  than  the  luxuries  of  the 
king's  table.  Sorrows  were  his  very  life,  he  lived  in 
them  and  on  them,  and  because  he  knew  that  they 
were  so  good  for  him,  he  was  glad  of  them,  and 
gloried  in  them.  And  not  only  so,  but  he  entered 
heaven  with  a  character  developed  "  unto  the  meas- 
ure of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ."^ 

Nay,  more,  we  are  taught  to  believe  that  Jesus  was 
a  better  Saviour  because  He  was  a  man  of  sorrows: 
"For  it  became  Him,  for  whom  are  all  things,  and 
by  whom  are  all  things,  in  bringing  many  sons  unto 
glory,  to  make  the  Captain  of  their  Salvation  perfect 
through  sufferings."*  And  every  one  of  these  many 
sons  is  made  perfect  in  the  same  way.  In  the  saint- 
liest  of  the  sons  of  men  there  is  much  sin,  and  it  must 
be  removed;  and  God  has  chosen  the  afflictions  of 
this  life  as  the  necessary  means  of  purging  it  away, 
and  preparing  him  for  the  glory  to  be  revealed:  "Lo, 
I  will  command,  and  I  will  sift  the  house  of  Israel 
among  all  nations,  like  as  corn  is  sifted  in  a  sieve, 
yet  shall  not  the  least  grain  fall  upon  the  earth." ^ 

1  Rom.  V.  3,  4.  2  isa.  xxx.  20.  3  Eph.  iv.  13. 

*  Heb.  ii.  10.  s  Amos  ix.  9. 


94  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

The  builder  goes  to  the  quarry  and  selects  a  rough 
stone  from  the  many  that  are  imbedded  there  in  mire 
and  dirt:  Avith  blasts  and  bars  and  blows  it  is  sepa- 
rated from  its  surroundings.  Then  for  weeks  and 
months  the  stone-cutters  are  busy  about  it,  Avorking 
on  it  Avith  their  hammers  and  chisels,  knocking  off 
the  sharp  corners,  and  squaring  and  smoothing  it  for 
a  place  in  some  royal  palace. 

That  Builder  is  God:  by  the  power  of  His  Holy 
Spirit  the  liA^ng  stone  is  hewn  out  of  the  dead  rock, 
and  lifted  up  out  of  "  the  hole  of  the  pit " ;  ^  and  for 
many  Aveary  years  sometimes,  His  spiritual  Avorkmen 
are  engaged  upon  it  with  their  iron  tools,  till  at  last 
it  is  "  polished  after  the  similitude  of  a  palace,"  ^  and 
builded  in  the  "  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal 
in  the  heavens."^ 

The  lapidary  brings  the  precious  stone  into  his 
Avorkshop  and  holds  it  up  against  the  SAvift  revolv- 
ing wheel,  till  all  its  dingy  roughness  disappears :  he 
turns  it  round  and  round,  smiting  and  smoothing  its 
several  sides,  and  in  a  little  Avhile  it  brightens  and 
reflects  the  light  in  rainboAV  hues,  and  is  fit  to  be  set 
in  the  croAvn  of  a  king. 

That  Lapidary  is  our  dear  Lord  Jesus:  with  His  own 
hand  He  takes  the  "  daughters  of  Jerusalem,"^  rough, 
dark  diamonds  as  they  are,  and  holds  them  hard 
against  the  grinding  Avheel  of  great  tribulation,  and 
in  due  season  they  Avill  be  sparkling  gems  prepared 
for  the  crown  of  His  rejoicing:  "And  they  shall  be 

'  Isa.  U.  1.  2  Ps.  cxUv.  12. 

3  n  Cor.  V.  1.  4  Luke  xxiii.  28. 


OUR  LIGHT  AFFLICTION.  95 

mine,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  in  that  day  when  I 
make  up  my  jewels."  ^ 

The  husbandman  prunes  the  vine  not  to  hurt  it  but 
to  make  it  better  and  more  fruitful:  every  year  he  wise- 
ly cuts  away  the  barren  and  redundant  branches  that 
put  forth  nothing  but  leaves.  After  every  trimming 
the  strength  and  sweetness  of  the  sap,  rising  from 
the  roots,  are  concentrated  in  the  few  branches  that 
are  left,  making  them  more  healthy  and  productive. 

"  Wj  Father  is  the  Husbandman.  Every  branch 
in  me  that  beareth  not  fruit  He  taketh  away:  and 
every  branch  that  beareth  fruit.  He  purgeth  it,  that 
it  may  bring  forth  more  fruit."  ^  He  would  not  have 
the  vines  of  His  planting  to  flourish  only  with  excess- 
ive foliage,  and  in  order  to  cure  this  natural  propen- 
sity. He  comes  down  into  His  garden  witli  the  sharp 
shears  of  sickness  and  sorrow,  and  one  after  another 
the  cumbering  shoots  are  shorn  away:  He  is  look- 
ing for  grapes,  large  clusters  and  of  the  best  qual- 
ity; nor  will  He  be  satisfied  with  a  scanty  harvest: 
"  Herein  is  my  Father  glorified  that  ye  bear  much 
fruit."  ^ 

Tlie  refiner  receives  the  precious  metals  fresh  from 
the  mines,  and  finding  them  mixed  with  many  worth- 
less substances,  before  they  can  be  of  much  use  to 
any  body  they  must  be  purified,  so  he  puts  them  in 
a  fining  pot  and  subjects  them  to  an  intense  heat. 
When  the  whole  mass  is  melted,  a  separation  takes 
place  between  the  precious  and  the  vile,  and  the 
precious  becomes  more  precious  because  it  is  pure; 
1  Mai.  iii.  17.  2  John  xv.  1.  ^  John  iv.  8. 


96  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

and  just  as  soon  as  the  refiner  can  see  his  image  in 
the  seething  gold  its  purification  is  complete. 

That  Refiner  is  our  Kinsman  Redeemer;  "He  shall 
sit  as  a  refiner  and  purifier  of  silver."^  He  takes 
"  the  precious  sons  of  Zion  comparable  to  fine  gold,"  ^ 
and  casts  them  into  the  furnace  of  affliction,  saying: 
"I  will  turn  my  hand  upon  thee,  and  purely  purge 
away  thy  dross,  and  take  away  all  thy  tin."*  His  own 
self  kindles  the  fire  by  which  they  are  melted  down 
and  all  their  sins  are  burned  away;  and  when  He 
can  see  His  own  pure  image  in  their  pure  hearts,  for 
which  He  sits  watching  beside  the  furnace,  then  they 
are  sanctified  wholly  and  may  be  minted  into  money, 
or  fashioned  into  vessels  "meet  for  the  Master's  use:"'' 
"Wherein  ye  greatly  rejoice,  though  now  for  a  sea- 
son, if  need  be,  ye  are  in  heaviness  through  manifold 
temptations:  that  the  trial  of  your  faith,  being  much 
more  precious  than  of  gold  that  perisheth,  though  it 
be  tried  with  fire,  might  be  found  unto  praise  and 
honor  and  glory  at  the  appearing  of  Jesus  Clnist."  ° 

The  artist  in  taking  your  photograph  makes  Avhat 
is  called  a  negative  picture  first,  and  then  with  this 
he  prints  a  positive.  In  the  negative  everything  is 
reversed  and  just  as  wrong  as  it  can  be :  up  is  down, 
riglit  is  left,  and  light  is  darkness.  But  from  this 
mass  of  contradictions  a  perfect  portrait  is  procured. 
From  that  in  which  all  things  are  wrong — where  the 
light  of  the  eye  is  darkness,  and  the  deepest  black- 

1  Mai.  iii.  3.  2  Lam.  iv.  2. 

3  Isa.  i.  25.  4  U  Tim.  ii.  21. 

6  I  Pet.  i.  6,  7. 


OUR  LIGHT  AFFLICTION.  9/ 

ness  is  gilded  with  the  brightest  lustre — there  is  de- 
rived the  truest  copy  which  was  ever  made. 

That  Artist  is  the  Almighty:  He  His  own  self  pre- 
sides over  the  strange  process  by  which  our  likeness 
is  painted  for  eternity;  He  places  us  precisely  in  the 
right  position,  and  so  adjusts  the  light  from  "  the  Sun 
of  righteousness,"  ^  that  every  feature  may  be  brought 
out  in  its  perfect  beauty.  And  our  present  life,  with 
its  clouds,  its  crosses,  and  its  contradictions,  is  nothing 
but  the  necessary  negative  which  He  first  prepares ; 
and  then  from  this  He  works  out  the  exact  likeness 
of  our  future  life,  where  darkness  shall  be  turned  into 
light,  sorrow  into  joy,  and  our  crown  of  grief  shall 
fade  aAvay  in  our  "  crown  of  glory  that  fadeth  not 
away."^ 

It  still  remains  to  be  mentioned,  that  affliction  Avill 
be  the  measure  of  our  reward  in  heaven.  We  are 
prepared  for  the  glory  by  suffering,  as  by  suffering 
the  glory  was  prepared  for  us;  and  not  only  so,  but 
the  glory  Avill  be  in  proportion  to  the  suffering.  That 
there  will  be  different  degrees  of  glory  in  heaven  is 
both  reasonable  and  scriptural,  and  so  natural,  too, 
that  it  seems  almost  like  a  self-evident  truth.  The 
flowers  of  the  field  are  not  all  equally  beautiful  and 
good:  some  of  them  are  arrayed  in  more  glory  than 
others,  and  send  out  a  sweeter  smelling  fragrance. 
The  trees  of  the  wood  are  not  all  alike :  some  of  them 
are  taller  than  others,  and  have  a  greater  girth,  and 
are  far  more  useful.  The  stars  in  the  firmament  are 
not  all  of  the  same  size,  nor  do  they  shine  with  the 
1  Mai.  iv.  2.  2  I  Pet.  v.  4. 

7 


98  BEAUTY  FOR  AS  RES. 

same  brightness:  some  of  them  are  stars  of  the  sixth 
magnitude,  and  their  light  is  so  dim  that  it  can 
scarcely  be  seen;  while  others  are  stars  of  the  first 
magnitude,  and  shine  like  diamonds  in  the  diadem 
of  night.  "There  is  one  glory  of  the  sun,  and  an- 
other glory  of  the  moon,  and  another  glory  of  the 
stars;  for  one  star  differeth  from  another  star  in 
glory.'" 

The  same  variety  is  just  as  manifest  in  the  king- 
dom of  grace.  In  the  spiritual  Avorld,  as  in  the  nat- 
ural, there  are  flowers  of  surpassing  beauty,  trees  of 
greater  stature,  and  stars  of  the  first  magnitude. 
"Now  there  are  diversities  of  gifts:  "^  "Are  all  apos- 
tles? are  all  prophets?  are  all  teachers?  are  all  work- 
ers of  miracles  ?  have  all  the  gifts  of  healing  ?  do  all 
speak  with  tongues  ?  do  all  interpret  ?  "  ^  Oh  no  ! 
"  Unto  one  He  gave  five  talents,  to  another  two,  and 
to  another  one ;  to  ev^ry  man  according  to  his  several 
ability."*  As  members  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  we 
have  gifts  and  graces  differing  according  to  our  du- 
ties and  our  difficulties.  It  is  worthy  of  some  honor 
to  be  any  thing,  and  to  do  any  thing  for  the  Master: 
it  is  honorable  to  be  a  deacon  only,  and  serve  tables; 
it  is  more  honorable  to  be  a  ruling,  or  a  preaching 
elder:  "Let  the  elders  that  rule  well  be  counted 
worthy  of  double  honor,  especially  they  who  labor 
in  the  word  and  doctrine."^ 

And  as  the  church  in  heaven  will  be  composed  from 
the  church  on  earth,  there  will  doubtless  be  as  many 

1  I  Cor.  XV.  41.  2  I  Cor.  xii.  4.  s  i  Cor.  xii.  29,  30. 

4  Mat.  XXV.  15.  5  I  Tim.  v.  17. 


OUR  LIGHT  AFFLICTION.  99 

degrees  in  glory  as  there  are  in  grace.  All  the  saints 
in  heaven  Avill  not  have  the  same  office,  nor  will  they 
be  equal  in  honor.  In  that  commonwealth  of  kings 
and  priests  all  will  be  happy,  as  happy  as  they  can 
be,  but  some  will  be  able  to  enjoy  more  than  others. 
And  all  will  be  honored,  but  some  will  be  counted 
worthy  of  double  honor.  Yes,  there  will  be  crowns 
with  more  jewelry,  and  thrones  of  higher  dignity, 
and  harps  of  sweeter  melody.  But  who,  who  shall 
Avear  these  crowns  Avith  more  jewelry?  and  sit  down 
on  these  thrones  of  higher  dignity?  and  handle  these 
harps  of  sweeter  melody  ?  I  ask  again,  who  shall  be 
greatest  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ?  Are  they  those 
who  Avere  the  greatest  in  the  church  below  ?  By  no 
means,  because,  "The  Lord  seeth  not  as  man  seeth;  for 
man  looketh  on  the  outward  appearance,  but  the  Lord 
looketh  on  tlie  heart."  ^  The  pillars  and  pinnacles  in 
the  temple  here,  may  be  nothing  more  than  the  door- 
posts and  lintels  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  on  high, 
Avliile  those  who  are  "less  than  the  least  of  all  saints"^ 
now,  may  be  the  A^ery  greatest  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaA^en. 

The  eternal  allotments  of  the  last  day  Avill  not  be 
made  so  much  for  Avhat  we  have  accomplished  as  for 
Avhat  Ave  have  suffered.  Indeed,  I  sometimes  think, 
that  success  in  life  is  not  to  be  taken  into  the  account 
at  all.  The  last  of  the  beatitudes  is  very  significant: 
"  Blessed  are  they  Avhich  are  persecuted  for  right- 
eousness' sake:  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
Blessed  are  ye,  Avhen  men  shall  revile  you,  and  per- 
1  I  Sam.  xvj.  7.  2  Eph.  iii.  8. 


TOO  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

secute  you,  and  shall  say  all  manner  of  evil  against 
you  falsely,  for  my  sake.  Kejoice,  and  be  exceeding 
glad:  for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven."^ 

AVe  are  taught  to  believe  that  the  minister's  man- 
sion in  the  Father's  house  will  be  very  magnificent. 
In  place  of  the  "  little  chamber "  on  the  Avail,  which 
he  lodged  in  here,  and  which  was  so  plainly  fur- 
nished with  "a  bed,  and  a  table,  and  a  stool,  and  a 
candlestick,"^  he  shall  have  a  large  parlor  there,  ex- 
quisitely furnished,  and  superbly  decorated  with  the 
Saviour's  hand:  and  the  minister  himself  shall  be 
more  glorious  than  his  mansion;  "They  that  be  wise 
shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament;  and 
they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness,  as  the  stars 
forever  and  ever."  ^ 

x\nd  those  who  had  no  success  shall  be  as  highly 
honored,  as  those  who  turned  many  to  righteousness. 
The  prophet  who  preached  to  a  disobedient  and  gain- 
saying people  shall  have  as  bright  a  crown  as  the 
apostle  who  was  instrumental  in  the  conversion  of 
thousands:  "For  if  there  be  first  a  willing  mind,  it  is 
accepted  according  to  that  a  man  hath,  and  not  ac- 
cording to  that  he  hath  not."^ 

Most  of  the  missionaries,  who  first  went  to  the 
heathen,  met  with  but  small  success:  some  of  them 
preached  for  six  years,  and  some  of  them  for  twelve 
years,  and  some  of  them  for  twenty  years,  before 
they  made  a  single  convert,  and  some  of  them  never 
made  any  at  all;   but  yet,  I  believe,  their  mansions 

1  Mat.  V.  10-12.  2  II  Kings  iv.  10. 

3  Dan.  xii.  3.  *  11  Cor.  viii.  12. 


OUR  LIGHT  affliction:  IOI 

will  be  rtiucli  more  magnificent,  than  those  of  their 
brethren  who  preached  the  gospel  at  home,  because 
they  made  greater  sacrifices  for  the  Master  and  suf- 
fered more:  "Them  that  honor  me  I  will  honor." ^ 

It  is  generally  supposed  that  the  martyrs  will  have 
the  highest  throne  in  heaven,  and  wear  the  brightest 
crown,  because  they  so  joyfully  submitted  to  such 
unspeakable  torments  for  the  sake  of  Christ:  they 
coveted  the  martyrs'  place  in  heaven.  But  there  are 
martyrs  still,  not  of  the  rack,  nor  of  the  stake,  nor  of 
the  scaff"old,  but  martyrs  of  poverty  and  sickness  and 
divine  self-devotion;  adorning  the  doctrine  of  God 
their  Saviour  in  the  unpoetic,  common  duties  of  do- 
mestic life,  dying  daily  unto  sin  in  ships,  and  prisons, 
and  overcrowded  tenement  houses;  carrying  burden- 
some crosses  over  hills  of  difficulty  in  the  valley  of 
humiliation;  and  climbing  mountains  of  sacrifice  in 
shops  and  schools  and  kitchens  and  among  the  habi- 
tations of  cruelty ;  unseen  by  all  the  world,  yet  all  the 
while  distilling  the  oil  of  joy  from  mourning,  weaving 
the  garment  of  praise  out  of  the  spirit  of  heaviness, 
and  transforming  the  black  ashes  of  their  earthly 
hopes  into  bridal  diadems  of  beauty.  And  these  are 
the  largest  and  noblest  army  of  martyrs,  and,  in  the 
day  of  disclosures,  theirs  shall  be  the  "far  more  ex- 
ceeding and  eternal  weight  of  glory."  "One  of  the 
elders  answered,  saying  unto  me.  What  are  these 
which  are  arrayed  in  white  robes?  and  whence  come 
they  ?  And  I  said  unto  him,  Sir,  thou  knowest.  And 
he  said  unto  me.  These  are  they  which  came  out  of 
1  I  Sam.  ii.  30. 


102  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

great  tribulation,  and  have  washed  their  robes,  and 
made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb."^ 

A  minister  may  be  celebrated  as  a  preacher,  and 
wise  to  win  souls;  he  may  be  another  Apollos,  "an 
eloquent  man  and  mighty  in  the  Scriptures,"^  and 
thronging  thousands,  in  many  lands,  may  listen  with 
delight  to  "the  glorious  Gospel  of  the  blessed  God,"^ 
as  it  comes  from  his  golden  mouth,  and  wherever  he 
goes  he  may  gather  flocks  of  men  into  the  fold  of 
the  good  Shepherd.  He  may  be  an  author,  as  well 
as  a  preacher,  and  his  books  may  be  translated  and 
published  in  other  languages  than  his  own;  and  so 
his  usefulness  may  be  extended  into  every  part  of 
the  world,  and  perpetuated  to  the  end  of  time.  But 
never  having  suffered  much  for  the  sake  of  Christ, 
he  may  sit  in  heaven  far,  far  below  some  meek  and 
lowly  child  of  grace  who,  perhaps,  could  neither  read 
nor  write,  and  who  was  scarcely  known,  but  through 
whose  holy  soul  the  streams  of  sorrow  flowed  most 
freely,  calling  forth  faith  and  patience  in  their  perfec- 
tion of  beauty:  "so  the  last  shall  be  first  and  the  first 
last."" 

Mary  was  an  aged  Christian,  who  sufi*ered  contin- 
ually from  rheumatism,  and  supported  herself  by  sell- 
ing apples  and  cakes  and  candies  at  the  corner  of 
the  street.  One  day  a  distinguished  judge  stopped 
at  the  stand  and  thus  addressed  her:  "Mary,  my 
friend,  do  you  not  get  tired  sitting  here  these  cold 
dismal  days?"    And  she  said,  "It  is  only  a  little  while, 

'  Eev.  vii.  13,  14.  2  Acts  xviii.  24. 

3  I  Tim.  i.  11.  4  Mat.  xx.  16. 


OUR  LIGHT  AFFLICTION.  IO3 

sir."  ''And  these  hot,  dusty  days?"  said  the  judge. 
And  she  said  again,  "It  is  only  a  little  while,  sir." 
"And  the  rainy,  drizzly  days?"  said  the  judge.  And 
she  answered  yet  again,  saying  the  same  words,  "  It 
is  only  a  little  while,  sir."  "And  your  sick,  rheu- 
matic days?"  said  the  judge.  And  she  answered 
once  more,  saying  with  the  emphasis  of  earnestness, 
"  It  is  only  a  little  while,  sir." 

"  Well,  Mary,  after  this  little  while,  as  you  call  it, 
is  over,  what  then  ? "  asked  the  judge.  And  Mary 
clasped  her  twisted  hands  together,  as  best  she  could, 
and  lifted  up  her  weeping  eyes  to  heaven  and  said, 
"  Oh  then,  sir,  I  shall  enter  into  the  rest  that  remain- 
eth  for  the  people  of  God !  there  the  inhabitant  shall 
not  say  I  am  sick ;  and  God  shall  wipe  away  all 
tears  from  these  eyes;  and  there  shall  be  no  more 
death,  neither  sorrow  nor  crying,  neither  shall  there 
be  any  more  pain,  for  the  former  things  are  passed 
away,  and  there  will  be  fulness  of  joy  and  pleasures 
for  evermore.  It  is  only  a  little  while,  sir,  and  all 
this  shall  be  mine." 

Dearly  beloved  and  longed-for,  men  and  brethren, 
sinners  as  well  as  saints,  my  heart's  desire  and  prayer 
to  God  for  you  all  is,  that  in  a  little  while  all  this 
may  be  yours.  And  it  may  be  yours :  the  strait  gate 
is  the  gate  of  heaven,  and  the  narrow  way  is  the 
widest  street  in  the  New  Jerusalem;  and  you  may 
walk  on  the  golden  pavements  now,  rich  in  poverty, 
and  sorrowful,  yet  always  rejoicing  "in  hope  of  the 
glory  of  God."  ^ 

1  Eom.  V.  2. 


104  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

And  then,  last  of  all  and  best  of  all,  when  a  few 
more  days  shall  dawn  and  darken,  when  a  few  more 
smis  shall  shine  and  set,  you  shall  see  the  face  of 
your  Beloved  Saviour  looking  unto  you  from  the  win- 
dow of  the  marriage  mansion  in  the  Father's  house; 
and  you  shall  hear  his  voice  calling  you  by  name, 
and  saying,  so  sweetly:  "Rise  up,  my  love,  my  fair 
one,  and  come  away.  For,  lo,  the  winter  is  past, 
the  rain  is  over  and  gone ;  the  flowers  appear  on  the 
earth;  the  time  of  the  singing  of  birds  is  come,  and 
the  voice  of  the  turtle  is  heard  in  our  land ;  the  fig- 
tree  putteth  forth  her  green  figs,  and  the  vines  with 
the  tender  grape  give  a  good  smell.  Arise,  my  love, 
my  fair  one,  and  come  away."^ 

1  Cant.  ii.  10-13. 


ANTICIPATING    TROUBLE. 


CHAPTER    V. 

'■'■And  they  said  among  themselves^  Who  shall  roll  us  axvay  the  stone 
from  the  door  of  the  sepulchre  ?  " — Mark  xvi.  3. 

IN  His  living  day,  our  Lord  Jesus  encountered  va- 
rious classes  of  enemies;  but  it  is  worthy  of  spe- 
cial remark,  and  everlasting  remembrance,  that  none 
of  these  ever  included  a  woman.  On  the  contrary, 
the  women  often  provided  for  His  wants,  and  were 
counted  among  His  best  friends  and  followers.  As 
He  went  through  "every  city  and  village,  preach- 
ing and  showing  the  glad  tidings  of  the  kingdom 
of  God,"^  the  twelve  went  with  Him;  "And  certain 
women,  which  had  been  healed  of  evil  spirits  and 
infirmities,  ^lary  called  Magdalene,  out  of  whom 
went  seven  devils,  and  Joanna  the  wife  of  Chuza 
Herod's  steward,  and  Susanna,  and  many  others, 
which  ministered  unto  Him  of  their  substance."^  It 
was  a  woman  who  washed  His  feet  with  her  tears 
and  wiped  them  with  the  hairs  of  her  head:  "Be- 
hold, a  woman  in  the  city,  which  was  a  sinner,  when 
she  knew  that  Jesus  sat  at  meat  in  the  Pharisee's 
house,  brought  an  alabaster  box  of  ointment,  and 
stood  at  His  feet  behind  Him  weeping,  and  began 
to  wash  His  feet  with  tears,  and  did  wipe  them 
1  Luke  viii.  1.  2  Luke  viii.  3. 

/ 


I08  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

with  the  hairs  of  her  head,  and  kissed  His  feet, 
and  anointed  them  with  the  ointment."^  It  was  a 
woman  who  anointed  His  body  beforehand  for  its 
bm'ial:  "Now  when  Jesus  was  in  Bethany,  in  the 
house  of  Simon  the  leper,  there  came  unto  Him  a 
woman  having  an  alabaster  box  of  very  precious 
ointment,  and  poured  it  on  His  head,  as  He  sat  at 
meat:"^  and  the  house  was  filled  with  the  odor  of  the 
ointment.  It  was  a  woman  who  interceded  for  Him 
when  He  was  put  on  trial  for  His  life.  As  soon 
as  Pilate  ascended  the  "judgment  seat,  his  wife  sent 
unto  him,  saying.  Have  thou  nothing  to  do  with  that 
just  man :  for  I  have  suffered  many  things  this  day 
in  a  dream  because  of  Him."^  Women  composed  the 
weeping  part  of  the  multitude  that  accompanied  Him 
to  Calvary:  "There  followed  Him  a  great  company 
of  people,  and  of  women,  which  also  bewailed  and 
lamented  Him."*  AVomen  were  gathered  round  the 
cross  when  He  was  crucified:  "Now  there  stood  by 
the  cross  of  Jesus  His  mother,  and  His  mother's  sis- 
ter, Mary  the  wife  of  Cleophas  and  Mary  Magda- 
lene." °  "And  many  women  were  there  beholding 
afar  off,  wliich  followed  Jesus  from  Galilee,  minister- 
ing unto  Him:"^  "And  sitting  down  they  watched 
Him  there."'  AVomen  formed  a  large  part  of  His 
funeral  procession :  "  The  women  also,  which  came 
with  Him  from  Galilee,  followed  after,  and  beheld 
the  sepulchre,  and  how  His  body  was  laid."* 

'  Luke  vii.  37,  38.  2  Mat.  xxvi.  6,  7,  and  John  xii.  3. 

3  Mat.  xxvii.  19.  *  Luke  xxiii.  27.         ^  John  xix.  25. 

6  Mat.  xxvii.  55.  '  Mat.  xxvii.  36.        e  Luke  xxiii.  55. 


ANTICIPATING    TROUBLE.  IO9 

These  "honorable  women "^  never  lost  sight  of 
their  Lord  till  His  body  was  laid  in  the  tomb;  then 
they  returned  to  their  sorrowful  homes.  But  know- 
ing the  necessary  haste  with  which  the  last  rites 
had  been  performed,  some  of  them  proposed  to  come 
again  to  the  sepulchre  after  the  Sabbath,  to  dispose 
the  sacred  body  of  their  Kedeemer,  in  a  more  orderly 
manner,  for  the  place  of  peaceful  rest,  which  it  had 
reached  at  last. 

The  Sabbath  ended  at  sunset,  and  they  spent  the 
evening  in  purchasing  and  preparing  the  "  sweet 
spices "  with  which  they  desired  and  expected  to  com- 
plete the  embalmment  already  commenced.  That 
night,  how  long  it  seemed  !  Its  weary  hours  went 
slowly  by,  and  held  their  eyes  waking,  as  they  watched 
and  wished  for  day.  They  could  scarcely  wait  till 
the  fourth  watch  was  ended,  and  so,  when  it  was 
yet  dark,  as  it  began  to  dawn,  "very  early  in  the 
morning,  they  came  unto  the  sepulchre,  bringing  the 
spices  which  they  had  prepared,  and  certain  others 
with  them."^ 

After  they  had  started,  and  as  they  went,  it  oc- 
curred to  them  that  there  was  an  obstacle  which 
might,  perhaps,  hinder  them  from  accomplishing 
their  pious  and  praiseworthy  purpose.  There  was  a 
stone  against  the  door  of  the  sepulchre.  They  knew 
that  it  was  there:  they  had  seen  it  there;  but  in  the 
multitude  of  their  thoughts  it  seems  to  have  been 
forgotten.  It  was  remembered  however  before  they 
reached  the  tomb.  They  thought  about  it  by  the 
>  Acts  xvii.  12.  2  Luke  xxiv.  1. 


no  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

way ;  they  talked  about  it  by  the  way.  It  was  the 
theme  of  earnest  conversation:  "They  said  among 
themselves,  Who  shall  roll  us  away  the  stone  from 
the  door  of  the  sepulchre  ?  " 

There  was  much  anxiety  in  their  minds,  and  they 
could  not  help  speaking  to  one  another  about  it.  I 
can  almost  see  them  in  the  early  morning  of  that  best 
day  that  ever  dawned.  They  are  coming  near  to  the 
place  which  is  called  Calvary,  and  their  faces  are 
set  towards  Joseph's  garden.  They  are  going  to  the 
grave  of  their  dear  departed  Lord,  on  an  errand  of 
love,  bringing  their  sweet  spices,  "that  they  might 
come  and  anoint  Him."  ^  They  are  looking  sadly ; 
they  are  walking  slowly,  and  at  times  they  seem  ab- 
sent-minded. They  are  engaged  in  earnest,  anxious 
conversation  concerning  the  stone,  which,  they  re- 
member now,  was  rolled  over  against  the  door  of  the 
sepulchre.  They  entertain  and  express  their  doubts 
and  fears  about  its  removal,  and  think  that,  perhaps, 
after  all,  their  "  labor  of  love  "  will  be  in  vain.  But 
strange  to  say,  they  do  not  turn  back.  They  do  not 
even  stop ;  but  still  hold  on  their  way,  hoping  against 
hope;  "perplexed,  but  not  in  despair:"^  "and  when 
they  looked,  they  saw  that  the  stone  was  rolled  away."^ 
The  difficulty  wliich  they  anticipated  was  anticipated 
in  heaven,  and  removed  before  they  reached  it:  "For 
the  angel  of  the  Lord  descended  from  heaven,  and 
came  and  rolled  back  the  stone  from  the  door,  and  sat 
upon  it.  "  * 

»  Mark  xvi,  1.  2  u  Cor.  iv.  8. 

3  Mark  xvi.  4.  ^  Mat.  xxviii.  2. 


ANTICIPATING   TROUBLE.  Ill 

Anticipating  trouble  is  therefore  the  subject  sug- 
gested by  the  text,  and  introduced  to  you  by  these 
prehminary  remarks.  It  presents  to  us  a  richer  har- 
vest of  thought  than  we  shall  be  able  to  reap  in  half 
an  hour.  We  will  enter  the  field  however  and  put  in 
the  sickle,  and  bind  a  few  bundles,  believing  that  we 
"shall  doubtless  come  again  with  rejoicing,"^  brhig- 
ing  our  sheaves  Avith  us. 

It  is  not  always  wrong  to  anticipate  trouble.  This 
is  the  first  handful  of  grain  that  falls  before  us.  Come 
and  let  us  gather  it  up.  And  here  we  want  you  to 
mark  our  language  well.  It  is  not  always  wrong  to 
anticipate  trouble.  It  is  often  wrong  but  not  always. 
If  it  were  always  wrong,  then  indeed,  we  Avould  be 
sinners  above  all  men,  because  most  of  our  troubles 
are  of  this  very  kind.  The  real  burdens  of  to-day  are 
not  so  many  as  the  anticipated  burdens  of  to-morrow. 
The  real  trials  of  the  present  are  not  so  overwhelm- 
ing as  the  imaginary  trials  of  the  future.  The  sorrow 
that  we  feel  is  never  so  great  as  the  sorrow  that  we 
fear. 

"To  fear  is  bai'der  than  to  weep; 
To  watch,  than  to  endure; 
The  hardest  of  all  griefs  to  bear 
Is  a  grief  that  is  not  sure." 

We  may  be  comparatively  happy  and  prosperous  in 
the  present  time;  but  we  are  looking  to  the  future, 
and  living  in  the  future,  more  than  in  the  present; 
and  if  we  were  looking  forward  with  faith  and  hope 
we  might  still  be  liappy  in  the  anticipation  of  trouble ; 
>  Ps.  cxxvi.  6. 


112  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

but  these  twin  graces  generally  fail  us,  when  we  cross 
the  margin  of  the  present  moment,  and  we  are  cast 
down  and  disquieted  with  visionary  fears  and  ground- 
less forebodings.  "The  slothful  man  saith,  There  is 
a  lion  witliout,  I  shall  be  slain  in  the  streets."^ 

We  have  no  doubt  that  most  of  our  trials  would 
vanish  away  if  only  we  could  live  literally  as  the 
Saviour  has  told  us  in  this  sweet  Scripture:  "Take 
therefore  no  thought  for  the  morrow:  for  the  morrow 
shall  take  thought  for  the  things  of  itself  Sufficient 
unto  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof"^  And  we  would 
like  to  live  so.  But,  then,  there  is  no  use  of  wishing, 
because  we  can  not  live  so.  We  can  not  shut  out  the 
future  entirely  from  our  minds;  this  is  quite  impos- 
sible, and  almost  every  thing  we  do  has  reference  to 
it.  And  in  the  anticipation  of  some  troubles  at  least, 
there  is  no  sin. 

Painful  apprehensions  of  coming  sorrow  may  be 
caused  by  the  condition  of  the  body.  Our  several 
members  have  the  same  care  one  for  another:  "and 
whether  one  member  suffer,  all  the  members  suffer 
with  it,"^  and  the  mind  suffers  more  than  all  the 
members.  There  is  such  an  intimate  relation  be- 
tween the  mind  and  the  body,  and  they  sympathize 
so  much  with  each  other,  that  Avhen  we  are  sick  in 
body  we  can  not  help  feeling  downcast  in  mind. 
What  if  this  sickness  should  be  long !  who  would 
look  after  my  business?  AVhat  if  this  sickness  should 
be  unto  death !  who  would  take  care  of  my  poor  fam- 
ily? There  may  be  want  of  faith  in  such  troubled 
»  Prov.  xxii.  13.  2  Mat.  vi.  34  s  i  Cor.  xii.  26. 


ANTICIPATING   TROUBLE.  II3 

thoughts  as  these;  but  surely  there  can  be  no  sin. 
There  may  be  much  sin  however  in  former  neglect  to 
lay  by  in  store  something  for  just  such  emergencies. 
"Go  to  the  ant,  thou  sluggard;  consider  her  Avays, 
and  be  wise;  which  having  no  guide,  overseer,  or 
ruler,  provideth  her  meat  in  the  summer,  and  gath- 
ereth  her  food  in  the  harvest."^  "If  any  man  pro- 
vide not  for  his  own,  and  specially  for  those  of  his 
own  house,  he  hath  denied  the  faith  and  is  worse 
than  an  infidel."  ^ 

What  man  is  there  in  all  the  world  who  has  ever 
thought  of  charging  these  holy  women  with  sin  for 
their  serious  apprehensions  concerning  the  stone  at 
the  door  of  their  Saviour's  sepulchre  ?  They  knew 
that  it  was  there,  and  by  the  way  they  wondered 
whether  it  would  be  removed.  They  anticipated 
trouble  from  it,  and  expressed  their  apprehensions 
to  one  another:  "they  said  among  themselves.  Who 
shall  roll  us  away  the  stone  from  the  door  of  the 
sepulchre  ?  "  And  in  their  conduct  we  can  see  noth- 
ing worthy  of  condemnation ;  but  on  the  contrary  we 
think  they  can  not  be  too  highly  commended  for  their 
becoming  anxiety. 

Anticipating  trouble  ought  not  to  turn  us  aside 
from  the  path  of  duty,  and,  when  it  shall  be  gleaned, 
this  thought  will  form  our  second  sheaf  These  three 
devoted  women  expected  to  encounter  a  great  diffi- 
culty. The  stone  at  the  door  of  the  se[)ulchre  might 
prove  a  serious  hindrance  to  the  accomplishment  of 
their  hopes.     Indeed  to  their  troubled  minds  it  must 

1  Prov.  y\.  6-8.  2  i  Tim.  v.  8. 

8 


114  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

have  seemed  an  insurmountable  obstacle.  But  what 
did  they  do  under  these  circumstances?  Did  they 
return  to  their  sorrowful  homes?  No.  Did  they  sit 
down  by  the  road-side  and  weep,  saying,  "It  Avill  be 
utterly  useless  for  us  to  go  any  further,  because  we 
will  never  be  able  to  enter  the  sepulchre?"  No. 
Did  they  hesitate  about  going  forward?  Not  for  a 
moment.  They  did  well  to  think  about  the  diffi- 
culty; they  did  better  to  persevere  in  the  path  of 
duty;  and  when  they  reached  the  tomb  the  stone  was 
rolled  away,  and  they  saw  a  vision  of  angels,  and 
Jesus  Himself  alive  again  from  the  dead  and  walking 
in  the  garden :  and  unto  them  it  was  given  to  return 
with  joy,  and  bring  the  glad  tidings  to  His  disciples 
"as  they  mourned  and  wept."^  God  was  better  to 
them  than  their  fears.  He  is  always  better  to  Hisi 
blood-bought  people  than  their  fears,  and  when  they 
are  ready  to  perish  He  runs  to  their  rescue ;  and  there 
is  nothing  that  surprises  them  so  much  as  the  won- 
derful maimer  in  which  He  delivers  them  out  of  all 
their  distresses. 

When  the  children  of  Israel  were  going  up  out 
of  their  house  of  bondage,  in  the  very  beginning  oi' 
their  mysterious  journey,  they  came  into  great  trouble. 
The  same  night  they  reached  the  shore  of  the  Ked 
Sea,  they  discovered  that  they  were  so  hedged  about 
with  dangers  and  difficulties  that  their  doom  seemed 
to  be  sealed.  There  were  hills  and  mountains  on 
both  their  flanks;  the  deep  and  wide  sea  was  in  their 
front ;  and  an  army  of  six  hundred  thousand  men  was 
1  Mark  xvi.  10. 


ANTICIPATING   TROUBLE.  '        II5 

in  their  rear.  Wliat  shall  they  do  ?  which  way  shall 
they  fly?  how  shall  they  escape?  To  turn  to  the 
right  hand  or  to  the  left  would  be  impossible,  to  ad- 
vance would  be  self-destruction,  and  to  retreat  would 
be  equally  disastrous. 

Under  these  circumstances  it  is  no  marvel  that  they 
began  to  murmur  and  talk  about  their  graves,  saying 
to  JMoses,  "  Because  there  were  no  graves  in  Egypt, 
hast  thou  taken  us  away  to  die  in  the  wilderness  ?  "  ^ 
"And  Moses  said  unto  the  people.  Fear  ye  not,  stand 
still,  and  see  the  salvation  of  the  Lord."^  "And  the 
Lord  said  unto  Moses,  Wherefore  criest  thou  unto 
me?  speak  unto  the  children  of  Israel  that  they  go 
forward."^  Go  forward!  what  solemn  mockery!  what 
downright  madness,  to  march  straight  into  the  raging 
sea  and  drown  and  die !  But  it  was  not  mockery  nor 
madness;  nay,  what  seemed  the  way  of  death  was 
the  way  of  life;  for  as  they  went  forward  the  sea 
fled  before  them.  On  either  side,  the  waves  of  water 
stood  still,  the  one  above  the  other,  like  stones  of 
solid  masonry,  and  all  the  people  went  through  to 
the  other  side  without  wetting  the  soles  of  their  feet ; 
"By  faith  they  passed  through  the  Red  Sea  as  by 
dry  land:  which  the  Egyptians  assaying  to  do  were 
droAvned.""* 

It  was  a  time  of  desperate  sorrow  in  the  royal 
palace  at  Shushan  and  in  all  the  city,  and  throughout 
all  the  provinces  of  the  Persian  empire  when  that 
bloody  edict,  consigning  the  Jews  to  destruction,  was 

1  Exod.  xiv.  11.  2  Exod.  xiv.  13. 

3  Exod.  xiv.  15.  4  Heb.  xi.  29. 


1 1 6  BE  A  UTY  FOR  A  SHES. 

signed  and  sealed  and  sent  out  by  the  king  into 
every  part  of  his  vast  realm  reaching  "from  India 
even  unto  Ethiopia."^  By  a  law  of  the  kingdom 
the  decree,  thus  ratified  and  published,  could  not  be 
changed.  By  the  language  of  the  dreadful  document 
the  very  day  was  set  for  the  slaughter:  and,  speaking 
after  the  manner  of  men,  the  hated  Hebrews  were 
as  good  as  dead.  In  the  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
seven  provinces  of  the  dominion  the  "people  scat- 
tered abroad,"  ^  read  their  doom  in  these  words  of  the 
royal  proclamation:  "to  destroy,  to  kill,  and  to  cause 
to  perish,  all  Jews,  both  young  and  old,  little  chil- 
dren and  Avomen  in  one  day,  even  upon  the  thir- 
teenth day  of  the  twelfth  month."  ^ 

But  on  the  side  of  the  oppressed  was  Omnipotence, 
and  the  hated  Hebrews  were  His  own  peculiar  peo- 
ple; "of  whom  as  concerning  the  flesh  Christ  came;"* 
and  in  His  good  providence  He  had  brought  "a  great 
woman  "^  to  the  kingdom  for  such  a  time  as  this,  and 
Esther  was  her  name.  Till  recently  she  had  been  a 
stranger  in  a  strange  land  and  a  slave ;  but  now  her 
home  was  in  the  king's  house  at  Shushan,  and  she 
was  the  queen,  and  shared  "a  great  crown  of  gold"" 
with  her  husband. 

The  scattered  peojDle  had  a  friend  at  court — one 
of  their  own  number  represented  them  there.  The 
emergency  was  great,  but  this  handmaid  of  the  Lord 
was  equal  to  it.     Queen  Esther  counted  the  cost  and 

1  Esth.  i.  1.  2  Esth.  iii.  8. 

3  Esth.  iii.  13.  4  Kom.  ix.  5. 

6  n  Kings  iv.  8.  e  Estli.  viii.  15. 


ANTICIPATING    TROUBLE.  WJ 

nobly  resolved  to  sacrifice  her  own  life,  if  it  must  be 
so,  for  the  salvation  of  her  people.  Whichever  way 
she  looked  death  was  impending.  As  she  belonged 
to  the  proscribed  race,  she  must  perish  Avith  them, 
if  they  perished.  To  go  into  the  king's  presence  un- 
bidden she  might  die;  and  should  he  not  hold  out 
the  golden  sceptre  to  her  she  must  die. 

Such  was  the  situation,  desperate  enough,  indeed; 
but  after  days  of  fasting  and  prayer,  the  brave  and 
beautiful  queen,  with  her  life  in  her  hand  and  her 
foot  on  her  grave,  passes  into  the  king's  apartment 
of  the  palace,  saying,  "  If  I  perish,  I  perish."  ^  Aston- 
ished and  alarmed  at  the  unbidden  and  unexpected 
presence  of  her  most  gracious  majesty,  "the  nobles 
and  princes  of  the  provinces"^  stand  aside,  and  up 
through  the  shining  ranks  she  presses  boldly  to  the 
throne,  and  prostrates  herself  at  her  husband's  feet; 
and  as  the  golden  sceptre  is  extended  her  fears  take 
flight.  She  has  gained  her  life,  and  shall  gain  it 
again,  and  the  life  of  her  nation  as  Avell.  Her  be- 
loved husband  and  her  heavenly  Bridegroom  were 
both  better  to  her  than  her  fears. 

As  Christian  men  and  women  we  have  a  journey 
to  go  and  a  work  to  do  for  the  Master,  and  in  striv- 
ing to  accomplish  these  we  may  expect  to  meet  with 
many  difficulties;  but  no  matter  how  many,  nor  how 
great  they  may  be,  we  ought  not  to  turn  aside  from 
the  path  of  duty.  "  The  children  of  Ephraim,  being 
armed  and  carrying  bows,  turned  back  in  the  day  of 
battle." '  That  was  a  cowardly  thing  for  the  children 
1  Esth.  iv.  16.         2  Esth.  i.  3.         3  Ps.  Ixxviii.  9. 


Il8  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

of  Epliraim  to  do,  in  the  day  of  battle,  when  they 
were  expected  to  advance  against  the  enemy.  But 
it  would  be  no  less  cowardly  for  us  to  turn  aside  from 
the  discharge  of  our  duty  when  it  would  be  difficult, 
and  perhaps  dangerous. 

Our  difficulties  are  good  school-masters ;  they  teach 
•us  how  little  we  know,  how  weak  we  are,  and  where 
our  strength  lies;  and  as  bodily  exercise  and  buffet- 
ing the  storm  makes  us  stronger  and  stronger,  so 
by  striving  to  overcome  obstacles,  which  seem  an 
overmatch  for  us,  we  develop  our  spiritual  strength. 
And  if  only  we  will  persevere,  and  still  press  on 
with  full  purpose  of  heart  to  encounter  the  antici- 
pated difficulty,  before  we  reach  it,  it  may  vanish 
from  our  view,  and  if  it  should  not,  God's  grace  shall 
be  sufficient  for  us,  making  us  more  than  equal  to 
the  greatest  emergency.  "  In  all  these  things  we  are 
more  than  conquerors  through  Him  that  loved  us."^ 

Years  ago,  in  this  region  of  country,  there  was  a 
total  eclipse  of  the  sun.  It  was  very  unexpected, 
and  night  coming  at  noon  caused  great  consternation 
among  the  common  people;  and  the  hearts  of  even  the 
wisest  men  were  failing  them  for  fear.  The  legisla- 
ture of  a  neighboring  state  was  in  session  at  the  time, 
and  the  sudden  darkness  surprised  the  members  very 
much,  and  actually  interrupted  their  proceedings. 
Some  said  one  thing  and  some  another,  and  many  of 
them  wanted  to  adjourn,  when  one  of  them  arose  in 
his  place  and  said:  "Mr.  Speaker,  either  the  day  of 
judgment  has  come  or  it  lias  not  come;  if  it  has  not 
1  Kom.  viii.  37. 


ANTICIPATING    TROUBLE.  II9 

come,  there  is  no  need  to  adjourn,  and  if  it  lias  come, 
I,  for  one,  prefer  to  be  found  in  my  place  in  the 
discharge  of  my  duty  when  the  Master  appears.  I 
tlierefore  move  you  that  candles  be  brought,  and  that 
we  proceed  with  our  business."  This  motion  pre- 
vailed immediately,  the  candles  were  procured  and 
lighted,  and  the  business  went  on  as  usual;  and  in  a 
little  while  the  temporary  darkness  disappeared. 

The  heroic  determination  of  that  noble  man  is  the 
spirit  witli  which  we  should  address  ourselves  to  the 
duties  that  devolve  upon  us;  determined  to  persevere 
in  the  chosen  way  of  God  no  matter  how  steep  or 
rough  or  thorny  it  may  be ;  delayed  by  no  darkness, 
daunted  by  no  disaster,  distressed  by  no  difficulty; 
and  so  pressing  on  through  night  and  winter  and 
storm  we  shall  find  tliat  the  path  of  duty  is  the 
path  of  honor.  Let  us  decline  to  walk  therein,  by 
reason  of  its  difficulty,  and  we  will  miss  magnificent 
results  which  would  more  than  make  amends  for  all 
our  toils.  Tlirough  darkness  and  distress  the  way  to 
light  and  glory  lies.  "I  will  bring  the  blind  by  a  way 
that  they  knew  not:  I  will  lead  them  in  paths  that 
they  have  not  known:  I  will  make  darkness  light  be- 
fore them,  and  crooked  things  straight.  These  things 
will  I  do  unto  them,  and  not  forsake  them."^ 

Had  these  lioly  women  entertained  their  fears,  and 
refused  to  go  any  further  by  reason  of  the  stone  at 
the  door  of  the  sepulchre,  behold,  how  much  joy  and 
peace  and  honor  they  would  have  missed!  They 
would,  have  missed  a  vision  of  angels;  they  would 
1  Isa.  xlii.  16. 


I20  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

have  missed  a  pleasant  intervieAv  with  Jesns  Him- 
self"; they  would  have  missed  the  special  honor  of 
being  sent  to  announce  the  resurrection  to  tlie  world. 
Their  best  hopes  Avere  far  exceeded  in  the  glorious 
results  of  their  visit  to  the  Saviours  tomb.  They 
hardly  expected  to  be  able  to  embalm  the  dead  body 
of  their  Beloved;  but  they  beheld  Him  alive:  they 
saw  His  face,  and  heard  His  voice,  and  with  great 
joy  they  departed,  "and  did  run  to  bring  His  disci- 
ples word."' 

In  like  manner,  with  fear  and  trembling  we  may 
address  ourselves  to  the  duties  which  devolve  upon 
us  as  Christians.  To  speak  a  word  for  Christ,  or  to 
give  "a  cup  of  cold  water  only,"^  in  His  name  may 
be  all  that  we  can  do.  And  in  our  sight  these  may 
seem  like  small  things,  and  we  may  feel  sorry  that 
we  can  do  no  more;  but  no  man  on  earth,  nor  angel 
in  heaven,  can  tell  the  magnificent  results  that  may 
follow  such  feeble  efforts.  Not  unfrequently  we  are 
permitted,  even  here,  to  reap  an  hundred-fold  from 
such  poor  sowing.  The  word  fitly  spoken  Avas  quite 
forgotten  till  we  found  it  again  in  the  heart  of  a 
friend  to  whom  it  proved  a  word  in  season;  and  the 
cup  of  cold  water  only  came  back  in  a  crown  of  re- 
joicing more  to  be  desired  than  any  royal  diadem. 

AVhen  persevering  in  the  path  of  duty,  anticipating 
many  and  great  difficulties,  and  hoping  against  hope, 
how  often  has  God  met  us  with  pleasant  surprises! 
How  often  has  He  been  better  to  us  than  our  fears ! 
better  even  than  our  faith,  doing  more  for  us  than  we 
»  Mat.  xxviii.  8.  2  Mat.  x.  42. 


ANTICIPATING   TROUBLE.  121 

were  able  to  believe  !  We  can  never  tell  how  much 
our  poorest  works  may  be  glorified  by  the  ]\Iaster, 
nor  Avhat  great  wages  He  may  be  pleased  to  pay  for 
our  smallest  services. 

One  day  Avhen  Jesus  was  in  the  temple,  sitting 
over  against  the  treasury,  He  saw  the  people  coming 
with  their  offerings:  "and  many  that  were  rich  cast 
in  mucli.  And  there  came  a  certain  poor  widow,  and 
she  threw  in  two  mites,  Avhich  make  a  farthiug."  ^ 
]\lany  poor  widows  would  have  been  ashamed  to  con- 
tribute so  little,  and  she  doubtless  felt  sorry  that  her 
offering  was  so  small.  But  Christ  proclaimed  the 
truth  when  He  said,  "This  poor  widow  hath  cast 
more  in,  than  all  they  which  have  cast  into  the  treas- 
ury: for  all  they  did  cast  in  of  their  abundance;  but 
she  of  her  want  did  cast  in  all  that  she  had,  even  all 
her  living."  "Little  sometimes  weighs  more  than 
much." 

AVhen  Mary  of  Bethany  poured  the  precious  oint- 
ment on  her  Saviour's  head  she  did  it  as  a  simple 
expression  of  her  personal  love.  She  had  no  thought 
that  she  was  anointing  Him  beforehand  for  His  burial; 
and  that  her  loving-kindness  would  be  commended  so 
much  and  remembered  so  long  and  told  throughout 
the  whole  world  "for  a  memorial  of  her."  ^ 

When  the  disciples  were  in  a  desert  place  with 
Jesus  and  the  multitude  was  great,  and  there  was 
nothiug  for  them  to  eat,  none  of  them  but  AndreAV 
noticed  the  lad  with  his  basket  of  barley  loaves,  and 
even  he  seems  to  have  thought  very  little  of  them, 
>  Mark  xii.  41,  42.  2  Mark  xiv.  9. 


122  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

for  he  speaks  about  them  with  something  Hke  dis- 
dain: "There  is  a  hid  here,  which  hath  live  barley 
loaves,  and  two  small  fishes :  but  what  are  they  among 
so  many?"^  But  the  Master  commanded  them  to 
be  brought  to  Him,  and  Avhen  He  had  blest  them  He 
broke  them,  and  passing  through  His  wonder-working 
hands  they  multiplied  and  grew  till  they  fed  "about 
five  thousand  men,  beside  women  and  children " ;  "^ 
and  when  all  was  over  "they  took  up  of  the  frag- 
ments that  remained  twelve  baskets  full."  So  our 
smallest  gifts,  and  our  feeblest  efforts,  may  result  in 
greater  good  and  greater  glory  than  we  had  dared  to 
hope,  if  only  they  are  given  and  done  for  Him  who 
is  able  to  do  Avith  them,  "exceeding  abundantly 
above  all  that  we  ask  or  think."  ^ 

Anticipating  trouble  ought  not  to  destroy  our  trust 
in  God;  it  should  rather  increase  our  faith,  and  this 
will  bring  us  to  the  end  of  our  barley  harvest.  In 
the  case  now  passing  under  review  these  women 
seem  to  have  been  thoroughly  assured  that  the  stone 
would  be  taken  away  by  somebody.  "It  was  very 
great;"*  and  in  their  womanly  weakness  they  did 
not  think  of  removing  it  themselves.  They  did  not 
say  to  one  another,  How  shall  we  roll  it  away:  but, 
"Who  shall  roll  us  away  the  stone?"  It  was  sealed: 
in  some  way  Pilate's  seal  Avas  affixed  thereon  making 
it  a  capital  crime  to  attempt  its  removal;  "so  they 
Avent  and  made  the  sepulchre  sure,  sealing  the  stone." ° 
It  Avas  also  Avatched:  "setting  a  Avatch."     A  band  of 

1  John  vi.  9.  2  Mat.  xiv.  21.  3  Epli.  iii.  20. 

4  Mark  xvi.  4.         &  Mat.  xxvii.  66. 


ANTICIPATING   TROUBLE.  1 23 

steel-clad  soldiers  was -put  on  guard  at  the  grave  to 
prevent  any  one  from  taking  it  away.  x\nd  yet,  not- 
withstanding all  these  anticipated  difficulties,  their 
trust  was  not  destroyed.  By  faith  these  women  went 
unto  the  sepulchre,  notwithstanding  the  seal,  and  not 
fearing  the  soldiers,  accounting  that  God  was  able 
to  roll  away  the  stone;  and  their  faith  was  honored 
abundantly.  And  this  simple  trust  in  God,  wJiich 
they  manifested  so  much,  is  what  we  most  need  for 
our  comfort  and  support.  The  Avant  of  it  makes  us 
anxious  and  unhappy,  "careful  and  troubled  about 
many  things."^  We  are  thinking  too  much  for  our- 
selves when  we  ought  to  let  God  think  for  us  alto- 
gether; saying,  what  shall  we  eat,  and  what  shall  we 
drink  and  wherewithal  shall  we  be  clothed?  when 
God  soAvs  for  us,  and  reaps  for  us,  and  Aveaves  for 
us.  We  are  forgetful  of  Him  and  fly  from  Him  in 
the  cloudy  and  dark  day,  when  this  should  be  the 
clinging  language  of  our  cleaving  heart:  "Though 
He  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  Him."^ 

If  we  are  Christians,  our  sorrows  should  strengthen 
our  faith,  because  trials,  whether  present  or  in  pros- 
pect, are  the  best  food  for  faith.  Believing  is  easy 
enough  when  there  is  nothing  else  that  Ave  can  do. 
When  it  is  so  dark  that  Ave  can  not  see  to  Avalk  by 
sight,  Ave  can  see  better  to  walk  by  faith,  and  total 
darkness  is  faith's  best  telescope.  When  we  are  rich 
and  prosperous,  and  our  health  is  good,  there  is  very 
little  room  for  the  exercise  of  faith.  But  when  sick- 
ness comes,  and  adversity,  and  poverty,  then  faith 
1  Luke  X.  41.  2  Job  xiii.  15. 


124  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

rises  and  shines  clear  as  a  star,  when  only  one  is 
shining  in  the  sky.  When  all  the  natural  sources 
of  comfort  fail  us,  and  the  nether  springs  are  dry, 
we  will  betake  ourselves  to  the  upper  springs,  the 
fountain  that  never  fails.  When  there  is  no  one  else 
to  look  to,  and  lean  on,  we  can  not  help  looking  to 
God  and  leaning  on  Him.  And  blessed  be  His  glo- 
rious name  forever,  "none  of  them  that  trust  in  Him 
shall  be  desolate."^  The  relation  which  we  sustain  to 
Him,  and  the  promises  He  has  made  to  us,  ought  to 
increase  our  confidence  in  Him,  and  minister  strong 
consolation  whatever  betide. 

Why,  just  think  Avhat  God  is  to  us!  God  the  Father 
is  our  rich  Father,  and  "  If  ye  then,  being  evil,  know 
how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children,  how  much 
more  shall  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  give  good 
things  to  them  that  ask  Him."^  And  God  the  Son 
is  our  Elder  Brother,  and  our  best  friend:  a  friend  in 
winter  as  well  as  summer,  a  friend  who  loveth  at 
all  times,  a  brother  "born  for  adversity."^  And  God 
the  Holy  Ghost  is  our  best  Comforter;  and  when 
troubles  rise,  and  storms  appear,  the  Heavenly  Dove 
makes  haste  to  come  down  on  swiftest  wings,  to  be 
beforehand  in  our  hearts,  to  fill  them  with  perfect 
peace,  and  fortify  them  against  future  fears.  When 
w^e  walk  in  darkness,  the  Three  in  One  is  our  glorious 
light;  and  when  we  walk  in  danger,  the  One  in  Three 
is  our  strong  defence:  "For  the  Lord  God  is  a  sun 
and  shield:  the  Lord  Avill  give  grace  and  glory:  no 
good  thing  Avill  He  withhold  from  them  that  walk 
1  Ps.  xxxiv.  22,  2  Mat.  vii.  11.  3  Prov.  xvii.  17. 


ANTICIPATING    TROUBLE.  1 25 

uprightly.  0  Lord  God  of  hosts,  blessed  is  the  man 
that  trusteth  in  thee."^ 

Let  us  learn  therefore,  dearly  beloved,  to  trust  in 
God  and  in  Him  alone.  Let  us  be  persuaded  to  look 
away  from  all  others,  and  from  ourselves  also,  and  to 
look  always  to  Him,  and  He  will  be  the  strength  of 
our  weakness,  the  light  of  our  darkness,  and  the  joy 
of  our  sorrow.  Without  this  child-like  trust  in  our 
heavenly  Father,  we  are  nothing,  and  can  do  nothing 
and  endure  nothing.  But  with  it,  we  are  omnipotent 
and  can  do  all  things  and  endure  all  things.  Faith's 
hands  are  strong  enough  to  roll  away  the  greatest 
stones  and  remove  the  highest  mountains:  "If  ye 
have  faith  as  a  grain  of  mustard  seed,  ye  shall  say 
unto  this  mountain,  Kemove  hence  to  yonder  place; 
and  it  shall  remove ;  and  nothing  shall  be  impossible 
unto  you."^     "  Lord,  Increase  our  faith."'' 

The  conclusion  of  the  whole  matter  may  be  briefly 
stated  in  these  words  of  the  apostle,  "  Rejoice  in  the 
Lord  always:"*  with  this  text  you  may  now  bind  our 
sheaves  together  and  carry  them  home,  and  go  on 
your  way  rejoicing. 

Cheerfulness  is  a  Christian  duty,  and  it  is  delight- 
ful to  know  that  joy  and  peace  are  among  the  first 
fruits  of  the  Spirit,  "  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love,  joy, 
peace."  ^  These  should  be  cherished  and  cultivated 
because  they  are  indispensable  to  our  happiness  and 
usefulness,  and  we  might  have  them  always,  if  only 

1  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  11,  12.  2  Mat.  xvii.  20. 

3  Luke  xvii.  5.  •«  Phil.  iv.  4. 

6  Gal.  iv.  22. 


126  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES, 

we  would  live  constantly  casting  ourselves  upon  Him 
who  careth  for  us.  The  peace  of  faith  is  the  greatest 
peace,  it  is  perfect  and  passeth  all  understanding; 
and  the  joy  of  faith  is  the  greatest  joy,  it  is  "un- 
speakable and  full  of  glory."  ^  Each  of  these  graces  is 
better  than  good,  and  in  substance  they  are  the  same. 
Peace  is  love  reposing  in  the  soul,  and  joy  is  love 
exulting  there;  and  cheerfulness  is  the  well-chosen 
word  that  binds  the  two  together. 

As,  therefore,  Jesus  said  to  His  disciples  in  the  storm, 
"  Be  of  good  cheer,"  ^  so  say  I  to  you.  Be  of  good 
cheer  always  and  everywhere,  in  your  darkest  nights 
and  deepest  griefs,  and  in  the  wildest  winter  weather. 
When  the  United  States  Heet  stood  ofi'  the  coast  of 
North  Carolina,  the  water  was  troubled  and  exceed- 
ingly tossed,  by  reason  of  a  great  wind  that  blew, 
and  it  was  night;  but  as  the  waves  rose,  in  their  rage, 
they  became  phosphorescent,  and  changed  the  stormy 
sea  into  a  sea  of  glory ;  so  your  brightest  joys  should 
leap  up  out  of  tlie  very  sorrows  of  your  souls. 

The  bird  that  soars  the  highest  builds  her  nest  upon 
the  ground;  and  the  bird  that  sings  the  sweetest 
sings  in  the  night ;  and  when  we  are  sinking  down  in 
the  dark  depths,  by  the  grace  of  God,  we  may  rise 
above  them  and  soar  away,  higher  than  the  skylark, 
up  into  the  brightest  shining  of  the  Sun  of  righteous- 
ness, singing,  as  Ave  soar,  sweeter  than  the  night- 
ingale: "Although  the  fig-tree  shall  not  blossom, 
neither  shall  fruit  be  in  the  vines;  the  labor  of  the 
olive  shall  fail,  and  the  fields  shall  yield  no  meat;  the 
1  I  Pet.  1,  8.  2  Mat.  xiv.  27. 


ANTICIPATING   TROUBLE.  12/ 

flock  shall  be  cut  off  from  the  fold,  and  there  shall  be 
no  herd  in  the  stalls :  yet  I  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  I 
will  joy  in  the  God  of  my  salvation.  The  Lord  God 
is  my  strength,  and  He  will  make  my  feet  like  hinds' 
feet,  and  He  will  make  me  to  walk  npon  mine  high 
places."^ 

Along  the  pathway  of  Christian  experience  there  is 
a  lofty  plain  where  all  is  peace :  a  lovely  land  of  Beu- 
lah  where  the  air  is  sweet  and  pleasant  and  the  birds 
are  always  singing ;  where  the  flowers  never  fade  and 
the  sun  is  always  shining;  where  Giant  Despair  can 
never  enter,  and  from  which  Doubting  Castle  can  not 
be  so  much  as  seen.  In  the  Pilgrim's  Progress  this 
happy  land  is  properly  located  near  the  end  of  the 
pilgrimage,  because  the  most  of  Christians  never  reach 
it  till  the  journey  is  almost  over;  nevertheless  there 
are  some  who  come  to  it  much  sooner;  and  this  is  a 
faithful  saying,  if  only  our  trust  in  God  was  strong 
enough,  the  very  next  step  would  bring  us  into  that 
blessed  land,  and  we  might  dwell  there  with  great 
delight  all  the  days  of  our  lives.  "Thou  wilt  keep 
him  in  perfect  peace,  whose  mind  is  stayed  on  thee : 
because  he  trusteth  in  thee."' 

When  tribulations  abound,  we  long  for  heaven:  for 
the  peace  and  joy  of  heaven.  But  though  we  can  not 
have  heaven  itself,  Faith  and  Hope — our  good  spies, 
like  Caleb  and  Joshua — may  go  before  us,  and  search 
out  the  land  of  praises,  and  bring  us  back  as  much  as 
they  can  carry  of  its  peace  and  joy,  and  more  than 
we  can  bear :  as  is  illustrated  in  the  experience  of  an 
1  Hab.  iii.  17-19.  2  Isa.  xxvi.  3. 


128  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

Indian  saint,  who  under  the  power  of  full  assurance 
was  heard  saying  in  his  prayer,  "  0,  my  God,  do  not 
for  pity  so  overjoy  me !  if  I  must  still  live  and  have 
such  consolations  do  take  me  to  heaven."  Such  hap- 
piness may  be  ours  now,  and  for  us  to  go  through 
this  world,  doubting,  desponding,  and  despairing  like 
strangers  and  slaves  and  prisoners,  casting  shadows 
on  the  shining  Avay,  is  bringing  reproach  on  oiu- 
holy  and  happy  religion.  As  it  has  been  well  said, 
"It  is  impious  for  a  good  man  to  be  sad;"  therefore  I 
say  unto  you,  "  Rejoice  in  the  Lord  always."  *  What 
then?  "and  again  I  say.  Rejoice." 

"The  Lord  bless  thee,  and  keep  thee:  the  Lord 
make  His  face  shine  upon  thee,  and  be  gracious  unto 
thee:  the  Lord  lift  up  His  countenance  upon  thee, 
and  give  thee  peace."* 

»  Phil.  iv.  4.  2  Num.  vi.  24-26. 


OUR    SURE   SUPPLIES. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

*^3fy  God  shall  supply  all  your  need  according  to  His  riches  in  glory 
by  Christ  Jesiisy — Phil,  iv.  19. 

"TT^VERY  house  is  builded  by  some  man;  but  He 
-L-'  that  built  all  things  is  God."^  "For  the  invis- 
ible things  of  Him  from  the  creation  of  the  world  are 
clearly  seen,  being  understood  by  the  things  that  are 
made,  even  His  eternal  power  and  Godhead."^  Along 
every  road,  in  every  field,  and  on  every  side,  Ave  see 
the  footprints  of  a  mighty  God,  "  and  the  firmament 
showeth  His  handywork."^ 

We  do  not  need- the  Bible  to  learn  the  doctrine 
of  the  Divine  existence.  We  have  only  to  open  our 
eyes,  and  we  will  see  God's  name  written  so  plain  on 
every  page  of  the  book  of  creation  that  those  who 
run  may  read  it,  and  "the  wayfaring  men,  though 
fools,  shall  not  err  therein."'*  Nay,  more,  if  we  had 
been  born  blind  and  deaf  and  dumb  we  could  feel 
after  God  and  find  Him  in  our  own  being  and  give 
Him  glory.  "I  will  praise  thee;  for  I  am  fearfully 
and  wonderfully  made:  marvellous  are  thy  works; 
and  that  my  soul  knoweth  right  well."^ 

The  stars,  the  rainbow,  and  the  flowers,  these  are 
the  big,  the  bright,  and  the  beautiful  letters  that  spell 
the  name  of  God;  and  the  rumbling  thunder,  the  rag- 
ing sea,  and  the  rushing  wind  pronounce  it. 

1  Heb.  iii.  4.  2  Eom.  i.  20.  3  pg,  xix.  1. 

4  Isa.  XXXV.  8.  s  Ps.  cxxxix.  14. 


132  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

"  The  meanest  pin  in  nature's  frame 
Marks  out  some  letter  of  His  name. 
Across  the  earth,  around  the  sky, 
There's  not  a  spot  in  deep,  on  high, 
Where  the  Creator  hath  not  trod. 
And  left  the  footsteps  of  a  God." 

Oh  yes !  there  are  a  thousand  evidences  of  the 
Divine  existence.  They  are  in  the  heights  above  and 
in  the  depths  below.  The  heavens  and  the  earth  are 
full  of  them,  and  it  is  an  easy  thing  to  say,  God ;  we 
can  not  help  saying  it.  Heathen  men  can  not  help 
saying  it,  because  they  see  and  feel  and  know  that 
God  is.  But  though  it  be  so  easy  to  say,  God,  it  is 
not  so  easy  to  say,  my  God.  Every  man  can  say,  God, 
but  every  man  can  not  say,  my  God.  There  are  some 
people  who  would  give  all  that  they  possess  if  tliey 
could  address  the  Almighty  with  so  much  assurance, 
and  with  such  personal  language  of  appropriating 
love  as  this:  "The  Lord  is  my  rock,  and  my  fortress, 
and  my  deliverer;  my  God,  my  strength,  in  whom  I 
will  trust;  my  buckler,  and  the  horn  of  my  strength, 
and  my  high  tower."  ^  They  believe  in  God  the  Fa- 
ther Almighty,  maker  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  in 
Jesus  Christ  His  only  Son  our  Lord,  and  in  the  Holy 
Ghost.  But  kneeling  on  their  knees  and  lifting  up 
their  clasped  hands  to  the  holy  place  where  His 
honor  dwelleth  they  can  not  say,  "This  God  is  our 
God  forever  and  ever:  He  will  be  our  guide  even 
unto  death."  ^ 

Yes,  any  body,  and  every  body,  can  say,  God;  but 
1  Ps.  xviii.  2.  2  Ps.  xlviii.  14. 


OUR   SURE  SUPPLIES.  1 33 

only  tlie  Christian  can  say,  my  God.  We  trust  there 
are  many  Christians  here,  who  can  make  all  their  own, 
these  bold  words  with  which  the  text  begins.  To  all 
such  we  are  coming  with  a  message  from  heaven. 
Our  text  is  a  bundle  of  myrrh,  and,  dearly  beloved, 
having  brought  it  to  you,  we  now  propose  to  unbind 
it  for  you,  that  you  may  taste  and  see  how  sweet  and 
comforting  are  its  several  thoughts,  and  that  by  them 
you  may  be  encouraged  to  go  on  your  way  rejoicing. 

And  of  these  sweet  and  precious  thoughts  the  first 
is  this,  that  God  is  the  source  of  our  supplies.  My 
God  and  your  God  will  supply  your  need  and  mine. 
"  God,  even  our  own  God,  shall  bless  us."  ^  He 
shall  bless  us  from  His  own  store-house  in  heaven. 
"  Every  good  gift  and  every  perfect  gift  is  from  above 
and  cometh  down  from  the  Father  of  lights,  with 
Avhom  is  no  variableness,  neither  shadow  of  turn- 
ing."^ All  our  temporal  and  spiritual  blessings^our 
daily  bread  and  our  daily  grace,  our  raiment  to  put 
on,  and  the  robe  of  Christ's  righteousness  to  cover 
all  our  sins — are  the  gifts  of  God.  They  come  from 
above.  The  Father  of  all  sends  them  to  us.  It  makes 
no  matter  who  brings  them  nor  how  they  come,  they 
come  from  God.  The  rills  and  rivers  of  pleasure  rise 
in  His  almighty  love.     "All  my  springs  are  in  Thee."^ 

When  Elijah  was  hiding  by  the  brook  Cherith  the 
ravens  came  fl^^ing  to  him,  twice  a  day,  with  his  morn- 
ing and  evening  meal ;  and  after  the  brook  failed,  he 
was  sent  to  Zarephath  where  a  poor  widow  provided 
for  his  wants.  But  it  was  not  so  much  the  widow 
>  Ps.  Ixvii.  6.  2  James  i.  17.  ^  ps,  Ixxxvii.  7. 


134  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

who  provided  for  the  prophet  as  the  widow's  God ;  it 
was  not  so  rauch  the  ravens  that  "  brought  him  bread 
and  flesh  "  beside  the  brook  as  He  who  feeds  the 
ravens  when  they  cry.  When  'he  was  sent  to  the 
brook,  God  said  to  him,  "  I  have  commanded  the  ra- 
vens to  feed  thee  there."  ^  And  when  he  was  sent 
to  Zarephath,  God  said  again,  "  I  have  commanded  a 
widow  woman  there  to  sustain  thee."^ 

At  another  time,  when  this  same  prophet  was  weary, 
and  so  cast  down  and  discouraged  that  he  wanted 
to  die,  he  fell  asleep  under  a  juniper-tree,  and  as  he 
slept  an  angel  came  down  from  heaven  bringing  with 
him  "a  cruse  of  water";  and  folding  up  his  shining 
wings,  he  kindled  a  fire  with  his  own  hands,  and 
baked  a  cake  "  on  the  coals,"  and  waked  the  wayfar- 
ing man,  saying,  "Arise  and  eat;  because  the  jour- 
ney is  too  great  for  thee.  And  he  arose  and  did  eat 
and  drink,  and  went  in  the  strength  of  that  meat 
forty  days  and  forty  nights  unto  Horeb  the  mount 
of  God."^ 

And  although  this  lasting  meal  seems  to  have 
been  specially  provided  and  prepared  for  Elijah  by 
his  heavenly  Father,  who  sent  His  angel  on  the 
errand,  yet  after  all,  it  was  no  more  from  God,  than 
when  the  widow  baked  the  cake,  or  when  the  ravens 
brought  it  already  baked. 

If  not  in  the  same  manner,  still  we  receive  all  our 
supplies  from  the  same  source.  Our  common  bless- 
ings, such  as  our  food  to  eat,  and  our  raiment  to  put 
on,  are  just  as  much  from  God  as  pardon  of  sin,  and 

1  I  Kings  xvii.  4.  2  i  Kings  xvii.  9.  3  i  Kings  xix.  7,  8. 


OUR  SURE  SUPPLIES.  1 35 

the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  But  then  they  are  so 
common,  and  so  constant,  and  keep  coming  with  so 
much  regularity, — year  after  year,  and  month  after 
month,  and  week  after  week,  and  day  after  day,  morn- 
ing, noon,  and  night, — that  Avhile  we  receive  the  gifts 
we  forget  the  giver.  The  ordinary  supplies  of  Prov- 
idence are  regarded  too  much  as  a  matter  of  course ; 
and  though  we  sing  His  praise  "from  whom  all 
blessings  flow,"  His  presence  is  quite  overlooked, 
and  we  forget  too  frequently  what  a  friend  we  have 
in  heaven. 

Let  us  see  if  it  be  not  so?  Suppose  the  home  we 
left  in  coming  here  to-day  had  grown  up  around  us 
suddenly,  and  in  the  night,  like  Jonah's  gourd;  that 
some  kind,  wondrous  power  had  flung  about  us  each 
domestic  joy  that  now  makes  that  happy  home  all 
the  paradise  we  have  on  earth ;  that  it  had  sent  a  low, 
sweet  voice  to  call  ns  husband,  prattling  voices  to 
call  us  father,  and  a  manly  voice  to  call  us  friend; 
that  every  comfort  that  now  sparkles  in  our  daily 
life,  like  dewdrops  upon  flowers,  had  been  like  them 
the  sudden  creation  of  an  hour.  How  strange,  how 
wonderful,  would  it  all  appear !  And  yet  that  home, 
those  voices,  those  daily  comforts  that  we  occupy, 
listen  to,  and  enjoy,  are  not  the  less  wonderful,  and  as 
it  were  miraculous,  because  they  have  risen  up  about 
us  gradually  and  in  the  course  of  years.  They  are 
just  as  much  the  gift  of  God  as  if  a  legion  of  angels 
with  visible  hands  had  framed  and  built  and  planted 
them  for  us. 

Suppose  when  you  rise  in  the  morning  you  should 


136  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

find  at  3^oiir  door  a  basket  full  of  stores  for  the  day's 
supply;  and  that  you  could  be  sure  and  certain  that 
no  human  hand  put  it  there;  you  would  then  have 
no  difficulty  in  saying  that  God  sent  it.  But  be- 
cause He  sends  it  in  a  less  direct  manner,  you  do 
not  recognize  His  providence  in  it.  When  you  go 
away  and  plough  the  ground,  and  sow  the  seed,  and 
reap  the  grain,  and  take  it  to  the  mill,  and  bring- 
home  the  flour,  and  bake  the  bread,  you  do  not  see 
the  hand  of  God  in  it  as  plain  as  in  the  basket  at  the 
door.  But,  yet,  the  good  hand  of  God  is  in  the  one 
as  much  as  in  the  other. 

When  the  manna  first  fell  in  the  wilderness  it  was 
a  great  Avonder  in  the  eyes  of  all  the  people ;  and  the 
first  morning  that  they  gathered  it  up,  "  JMoses  said 
unto  them.  This  is  the  bread  which  the  Lord  hath 
given  you  to  eat."^  But  it  rained  down  every  day, 
except  the  Sabbath,  and  though  it  came  from  heaven 
every  time,  its  coming  was  soon  regarded  as  a  matter 
of  course,  and  it  was  contemplated  rather  as  a  nat- 
ural event,  like  the  showers  that  refresh  the  earth. 

When  the  rock  in  Horeb  was  first  smitten  the 
"waters  gushed  out;  they  ran  in  dry  places  like  a 
river,"  ^  and  the  timely  relief  was  looked  upon  as  a 
special  interposition  of  Providence.  But  that  rock 
"followed  tliem.  "  *  Its  sparkling  stream  attended  all 
their  winding  way,  and  for  eight  and  thirty  years 
they  had  no  lack  of  water.  And  what  was  the  con- 
sequence? why,  they  became  unmindful  and  unthank- 
ful. And  so  are  we.  Yet,  strange  to  say,  in  all  our 
1  Exod.  xvi.  15.  2  Ps.  cv.  41.  s  I  Cor.  x.  4. 


OUR   SURE   SUPPLIES.  1 3/ 

forge tfulness  of  God  never  doth  He  forget  tis.  Of 
Him  and  through  Him  are  all  things  that  we  enjoy; 
and  "  in  Him  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being, 
For  we  are  all  His  offspring."  ^ 

The  certainty  of  our  supplies  is  the  next  thought 
spoken  of  in  the  text:  "My  God  shall  supply  your 
need."  In  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments, our  heavenly  Father  has  given  unto  us  many 
"exceeding  great  and  precious  promises."^  These 
promises  relate  to  the  body  as  well  as  the  soul,  to 
temporal  as  well  as  to  spiritual  things,  to  the  beg- 
garly elements  of  earth  as  well  as  to  the  glorious 
riches  of  heaven;  "having  promise  of  the  life  that 
now  is,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come."  ^  These  prom- 
ises are  plain,  positive,  and  sure.  They  are  made  to 
us  by  our  heavenly  Father;  and,  as  if  this  were  not 
security  enough,  they  are  confirmed  "by  an  oath,"* 
and  endorsed  by  the  prevailing  name  of  Jesus;  "  For 
all  the  promises  of  God  in  Him  are  yea,  and  in  Him 
Amen,  unto  the  glory  of  God  by  us."^ 

As  honest  men  we  have  much  respect  for  the  prom- 
ises we  make;  and  some  people  are  so  particular  and 
prompt  in  the  fulfilment  of  every  engagement  that 
their  word  is  said  to  be  as  good  as  their  bond.  They 
will  do  as  they  have  promised.  Providence  permitting. 
But  however  sure  we  may  be  that  our  promises  to 
one  another  shall  be  kept,  we  are  never  quite  sure. 
No  matter  how  gi-eat  our  confidence  may  be  in  one 
another,  it  might  be  greater.     Our  word  may  be  as 

»  Acts  xvii.  28.  2  n  Pet.  i.  4.  3  i  Tim.  iv.  8. 

4  Heb.  vi.  17.  ^  n  Cor.  i.  20. 


138  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

good  as  our  bond,  but  circunnstances  may  occur  un- 
der which  neither  of  them  will  be  good  for  any  thing. 
There  are  so  many  peradventures  in  the  way,  that  we 
may  not  be  able  to  keep  the  promises  that  we  have 
made  to  others,  and  they  may  not  be  able  to  keep  the 
promises  they  have  made  to  us. 

AVe  need  hardly  tarry  here  to  explain  and  illustrate 
this  painful  truth.  Perhaps  the  last  time  Ave  looked 
over  our  papers  we  saw  a  protest  among  them,  or  a 
note  Avhich  was  never  paid,  or  a  bill  that  never  could 
be  collected.  And  what  are  these  but  so  many  sting- 
ing evidences  of  the  great  uncertainty  of  human 
promises,  which  are  broken  often er  than  they  are 
kept  ?  A  hundred  things  may  happen  to  hinder  us 
from  keeping  our  promises  to  one  another.  My  health 
may  fail;  my  wealth  may  fly  away;  and  my  friends 
may  forsake  me;  or  your  business  may  take  an  unfa- 
vorable turn,  your  strong  staff  may  be  broken,  and 
your  dear  husband  may  die.  And  when  our  supplies 
are  so  unexpectedly  cut  off  how  can  we  meet  our 
engagements  ? 

But,  blessed  be  God,  no  contingency  can  break  the 
covenant  that  He  hath  made  with  us.  Tt  is  an  "ever- 
lasting covenant,  ordered  in  all  things,  and  sure."^  It 
is  surer  than  the  rising  and  the  setting  sun,  surer 
than  the  seed-time  and  the  harvest,  surer  even  than 
the  heavens  and  the  earth.  Our  God  is  a  covenant 
keeper  as  well  as  a  covenant  maker.  Have  you  not 
often  seen  His  bow  in -the  cloud,  and  have  you  not 
oftener  read  about  it  in  the  Bible?  It  is  His  own 
1  II  Sam.  xxiii.  5. 


OUR  SURE  SUPPLIES.  1 39 

token  of  His  own  covenant  that  the  world  shall 
never  be  destroyed  by  another  deluge.  And  no  mat- 
ter how  hard  the  rain  may  descend,  no  matter  how 
high  the  water  may  rise  in  the  river,  we  never  fear 
another  flood.  And  reasoning  from  the  less  to  the 
greater,  shall  God  keep  the  covenant  of  the  bow,  and 
shall  he  not  rather  keep  the  better  covenant  of  the 
cross,  "which  was  established  upon  better  promises?"^ 
Shall  He  keep  His  covenant  Avith  this  sinful  world, 
which  He  has  cursed  with  a  curse?  and  shall  He  not 
rather  keep  His  covenant  with  the  saints  for  whom 
He  shed  His  blood  ?  Reasoning  from  the  past  to  the 
present,  shall  God  remember  His  promise  to  the  pa- 
triarchs and  prophets  and  apostles,  and  shall  it  be 
forgotten  to  ns,  His  own  blood-bought,  baptized,  and 
believing  children?  Hark!  an  answer  from  the  skies 
is  sent,  "The  mountains  shall  depart,  and  the  hills 
be  removed;  but  my  Idiidness  shall  not  depart  from 
thee,  neither  shall  the  covenant  of  my  peace  be  r.e- 
moved,  saith  the  Lord  that  hath  mercy  on  thee."  ^ 

Yes,  the  mountains  shall  depart,  and  the  hills  be 
removed.  In  the  consuming  fires  of  the  last  day,  they 
shall  melt  like  wax,  and  even  "the  heavens  shall  pass 
away;"'  but  the  promises  which  God  has  made  to  His 
people  shall  never  pass  away:  from  the  greatest  to 
the  least  they  shall  be  remembered  and  redeemed'.  If 
ordinary  means  Avill  not  be  sufficient,  miracles  shall  be 
wrought  for  their  accomplishment.  If  need  be,  birds 
of  prey  shall  forget  their  nature  and  bring  them  bread 
beside  the  brook ;  or  an  angel  siiall  come  down  from 
1  Heb.  viii.  6.  2  isa.  liv.  10.  3  n  Pet.  iii.  10. 


I40  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

heaven  and  bake  them  cakes.  Iron  shall  "  swim  "  ^ 
for  them  that  the  "borrowed"  axe  may  be  restored; 
and  if  the  day  be  not  long  enongh  for  them  to  win 
the  victory,  the  snn  and  moon  shall  stand  "still  in  the 
midst  of  heaven,"^  till  they  are  more  than  conqnerors. 
The  extent  of  our  supplies  is  another  thought  con- 
tained in  the  text,  "My  God  shall  supply  all  your 
need."  The  supply  as  you  will  notice  now  is  exceed- 
ing great.  We  have  a  rich  Father  in  heaven,  and 
there  is  not  a  temporal,  or  spiritual  want,  for  wdiich 
He  has  not  made  the  most  abundant  provision.  The 
fountain  of  His  love  is  alwa^^s  full  and  overflowing, 
and  alwa^^s  flowing  down  to  us;  and  Avhen  we  need 
it  most  it  flows  all  the  faster,  like  "streams  from 
Lebanon:"^  "For  the  Lord  God  is  a  sun  and  shield: 
the  Lord  will  give  grace  and  glory:  no  good  thing 
will  He  withhold  from  them  that  walk  uprightly."* 
"And  God  is  able  to  make  all  grace  abound  towards 
you;  that  ye,  always  having  all  sufficiency  in  all 
things,  may  abound  to  every  good  work."^  Eight 
well  we  love  and  prize  these  promises,  because  they 
are  so  comprehensive,  like  the  one  now  passing  under 
review,  "My  God  shall  supply  all  your  need."  Not 
some  of  your  need,  but  all  of  it.  Do  you  need  your 
daily  bread?  "Trust  in  the  Lord,  and  do  good;  so 
shalt  thou  dwell  in  the  land,  and  verily  thou  shalt  be 
fed."®  Do  you  need  money  to  pay  yoiu-  tax?  You 
shall  surely  have  it.  You  may  not  know  where  it 
will   come  from,  but  it  will   come   from  somewhere. 

1  II  Kings  vi.  6.  2  josh.  x.  13.  s  Cant.  iv.  15. 

4  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  11.  5  II  Cor.  ix.  8.         «  Ps.  xxxvii.  3. 


OUR   SURE  SUPPLIES.  I4I 

The  barrel  of  meal  may  be  quite  empty,  you  may  not 
have  the  widow's  handful  there ;  the  cruse  of  oil  may 
fail;  and  sorer  still,  there  may  be  no  money  in  the 
house :  days  ago  the  last  penny  was  spent  for  meat 
or  medicine ;  but  remember  and  forget  it  not, 

"Ravens  once  did  cater  to  Elijah's  need; 
And  a  fish  for  Peter  tribute  money  paid." 

And,  if  there  was  no  other  way  to  supply  your  table 
and  your  purse  with  the  bread  and  the  money  that 
you  need,  I  believe  that  the  birds  of  the  air  and  the 
fish  of  the  sea  would  be  God's  angels  again  and  bring 
them  to  you. 

But  then,  only  your  need  will  be  supplied,  accord- 
ing to  the  promise.  We  all  wish  for  many  things 
that  Ave  do  not  want;  and  many  things  that  are  de- 
sirable for  us  we  utterly  despise.  As  for  example  we 
would  like  to  be  rich,  and  have  money  enough  and  to 
spare;  but  we  do  not  need  wealth,  and  it  might  be  a 
great  curse  to  us:  "For  there  be  as  many  miseries  be- 
yond riches  as  on  this  side  of  them."  And  Ave  Avould 
like  to  have  unbroken  health ;  but  Ave  may  need  sick- 
ness rather.  "Before  I  Avas  afflicted  I  Avent  astray."^ 
The  apostle  Paul  did  not  like  the  thorn  in  the  flesh. 
It  tormented  him  so  much,  he  prayed  that  it  might 
be  taken  aAA^ay;  but  he  needed  it  in  order  to  keep 
doAvn  his  spiritual  pride.  And  when  he  found  out 
how  much  he  needed  it,  and  received  the  grace  to 
balance  and  to  bear  it,  then  he  gloried  in  it.  "All 
these  things  are  against  me,"^  their  father  Jacob  said, 
»  Ps.  cxix.  67.  2  Gen.  xlii.  36. 


142  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

when  as  he  supposed  Joseph  was  not,  and  Simeon  was 
not,  and  his  brethren  were  desiring  to  take  Benjamin 
away.  And  yet,  as  we  all  know,  this  Avas  tlie  rough 
but  right  way  in  which  a  wise  and  kind  Providence 
was  taking  to  provide  better  things  for  the  patriarch 
and  his  family. 

And  as  for  ourselves,  dearly  beloved,  let  us  always 
remember  that  God  has  never  promised  to  supply  our 
wishes;  but  only  our  wants,  and  these  only  as  they 
arise  from  day  to  day.  j\Iany  good  people  are  prone 
to  borrow  trouble  on  interest,  if  I  may  speak  so.  The 
poor  widow  looks  upon  her  little  children,  and  there 
is  something  like  a  tear  standing  in  her  eye,  and  her 
pale  lips  begin  to  quiver  as  she  says,  so  sorrowfully, 
"How  shall  I  provide  for  them  now  when  their  father 
is  gone  to  the  grave  ?  "  And  the  Christian  who  de- 
sponds is  always  fearing  the  troubles  that  are  coming 
in  the  future,  and  in  downright  despair  he  cries  out, 
"  How  shall  I  ever  be  able  to  meet  them  ?  Oh  that  I 
had  grace  enough  to  bear  me  safely  through  them  all ! 

Now,  we  might  answer  these  groundless  forebod- 
ings in  the  language  of  the  common  people,  "  Don't 
cross  the  bridge  till  you  come  to  it;"  but  we  prefer 
to  answer  them  in  the  better  language  of  the  Bible, 
"Thy  shoes  shall  be  iron  and  brass;  and  as  thy  days, 
so  shall  thy  strength  be."  ^  Not  as  thy  years,  nor  as 
thy  months,  nor  as  thy  weeks;  but,  "as  thy  days,  so 
shall  thy  strength  be."  To-morroAv  you  may  come  to 
a  rougher  road,  but  you  shall  have  better  shoes.  To- 
morrow you  may  have  a  heavier  burden  to  carry,  but 
1  Deut.  xxxiii.  25. 


OUR   SURE   SUPPLIES.  X\l 

you  shall  have  greater  strength.  You  may  come  to 
3^our  Gethsemane  to-morrow,  but  the  Gethsemane 
angel  shall  be  there  beforehand,  to  lift  you  up  in  his 
kind  arms  and  give  you  sweet  comfort.  You  will 
need  your  daily  bread  to-morrow,  and  your  daily 
grace,  and,  blessed  be  God,  you  shall  have  them  both : 
"And  to-morrow  shall  be  as  this  day,  and  much  more 
abundant."^ 

The  measure  of  our  supplies  is  another  precious 
thought  in  the  text:  "According  to  His  riches  in 
glory  my  God  shall  supply  all  your  need."  The  Lord 
is  rich  in  every  thing.  The  gold  and  silver  are  His, 
for  He  made  them  in  the  mines;  and  the  cattle  on  a 
thousand  hills  are  all  the  Lord's.  The  world  itself, 
and  all  the  Avorlds,  with  all  their  wealth,  belong  to 
God.  He  is  the  Creator  and  Proprietor  of  all  things 
that  are  in  heaven  above  and  in  the  earth  beneath. 
We  call  men  rich,  when  they  have  more  than  enough 
to  satisf}?-  their  own  wants;  and  we  call  them  very 
rich,  if  they  have  such  an  abundance  of  the  good 
things  of  this  world  tliat  they  can  satisfy  the  wants 
of  many ;  and  it  is  a  goodly  sight  to  see  men  of  great 
wealth  blessing  the  poor  with  their  bounty. 

But  the  riches  of  all  the  rich  men  in  the  world  are 
as  nothing,  when  compared  with  the  riches  of  the 
Almighty.  Besides,  the  little  wealth  that  men  may 
get  is  never  abiding.  Some  of  our  coins  are  called 
eagles,  and  are  stamped  with  the  image  of  an  eagle, 
tiie  wings  of  which  are  not  folded,  as  if  to  rest 
awhile,  but  outstretched,  as  if  always  ready  to  fly 
1  Isa.  Ivi.  12. 


144  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES, 

away.  Now  this  is  an  excellent  device,  and,  al- 
thongli  not  so  intended,  it  is  a  good  commentary  on 
that  faithful  saying,  "  Riches  certainly  make  them- 
selves wings;  they  fly  away  as  an  eagle  toward 
heaven."  ^ 

We  have  known  persons  who  were  once  rich,  but 
they  became  poor.  The  wheel  of  fortune  took  an  un- 
expected turn,  and  in  a  moment  the  earnings  of  a  long 
life  were  lost.  And  we  have  read  of  a  rich  man  in  Eu- 
rope whose  income  was  a  hundred  thousand  pounds  a 
year;  but  he  lived  so  fast  that  he  soon  spent  the  princi- 
pal as  well  as  the  interest;  and  the  gates  of  his  golden 
mansion,  which  had  refused  admittance  to  a  monarch, 
were  thrust  open  by  the  sheriff  and  sold  to  the  high- 
est bidder.     His  great  fortune  was  quite  exhausted. 

But  God's  glorious  riches  are  "enduring,"^  and  in- 
exhaustible. Giving  doth  not  impoverish  God,  it 
seems  rather  to  enrich  Him.  He  has  been  giving 
since  the  beginning,  but  He  has  just  as  much  to  give 
as  He  had  in  the  beginning.  His  sun  shines  just  as 
bright  for  us  as  it  did  for  our  first  parents  in  Paradise. 
His  store-house  is  just  as  full  as  it  ever  was;  and 
although  the  earth  is  daily  burdened  with  benefits 
poured  from  the  horn  of  His  plenty  there  is  always 
more  to  follow.  The  blessings  of  His  Providence  and 
His  grace  seem  to  grow,  like  the  little  barley  loaves 
passing  through  the  Saviour's  wonder-working  hands; 
and  when  the  feast  is  over,  and  the  last  man  is  filled, 
there  will  be  fragments  enough  left  for  twelve  more 
worlds  like  the  one  in  which  our  lot  is  cast. 
1  Prov.  xsiii.  5.  2  Heb,  x.  34. 


OUR  SURE  SUPPLIES.  1 45 

Great  mountains  liave  been  exhausted  of  their  gold, 
and  seas  of  their  pearls;  but  God's  riches  in  grace  and 
glory  are  more  plenty,  as  well  as  more  precious,  than 
gold  and  pearls.  Pardon  of  sin,  and  peace  of  mind, 
and  purity  of  heart,  and  faith,  and  repentance,  and 
hope,  and  love,  and  life,  and  health,  and  food,  and 
raiment,  and  heaven. — But  Avhat  am  I  doing  ?  I  find 
myself  striving  to  reckon  up  God's  riches  in  glory; 
but  I  forbear.  I  can  not  take  that  inventory.  I 
have  seen  many  things,  and  heard  many  things,  and 
thought  many  things;  my  eyes  have  been  feasted,  and 
my  ears  have  been  ravished,  and  my  mind  has  soared 
away  on  the  Avings  of  the  imagination,  till  I  was 
weary  with  seeing  and  hearing  and  thinking;  but 
"  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  en- 
tered into  the  heart  of  man,  the  things  wliich  God 
hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  Him."  ^  And  look- 
ing at  the  open  hand  of  our  heavenly  Father  we  can 
not  help  saying,  with  the  Psalmist,  "Oh  how  great  is 
thy  goodness,  wliich  thou  hast  laid  up  for  them  that 
fear  thee;  which  thou  hast  wrought  for  them  that 
trust  m  thee  before  the  sons  of  men."^ 

The  channel  through  which  our  supplies  come  to 
lis  is  the  last  thought  in  the  text,  and  the  last  shall 
be  first,  "  By  Christ  Jesus,  my  God  shall  supply  all 
your  need."  We  had  no  right  to  any  of  our  temporal 
blessings  after  the  covenant  of  works  was  broken ;  we 
had  no  right  to  any  of  our  spiritual  blessings;  nay, 
more,  we  had  no  right  to  any  thing,  not  even  to  life 
itself  But  Jesus  became  our  security,  j^romising  to 
1  I  Cor.  ii.  9.  2  pg.  xxxi.  19. 

10 


146  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES 

take  our  place,  to  pay  our  debt,  and  to  suffer  our 
punishment;  and  in  the  fnhiess  of  time  He  came  into 
the  world  in  "the  form  of  a  servant,"^  to  execute  the 
covenant  which  He  made  with  the  Father,  in  our 
behalf  before  the  world  began;  and  by  obeying  the 
law  and  suffering  its  penalty  for  us,  in  the  form  of  a 
sinner,  He  redeemed  us  from  its  curse,  and  purchased 
for  us  more  blessings  than  were  lost:  "  But  not  as  the 
offence,  so  also  is  the  free  gift:  for  if  through  the 
offence  of  one  many  be  dead,  much  more  the  grace 
of  God,  and  the  gift  by  grace,  which  is  by  one  man 
Jesus  Christ,  hath  abounded  unto  many."-  "For  ye 
know  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Cln-ist,  that  though 
He  was  rich,  yet  for  your  sakes  He  became  poor,  that 
ye  through  His  poverty  might  be  rich."  ^  There  is 
not  a  solitary  blessing  that  we  enjoy,  or  that  we  ever 
will  enjoy,  that  Jesus  did  not  purchase  for  us  with  His 
own  most  precious  blood.  Our  common  blessings,  as 
we  call  them  often,  are  all  covenant  blessings.  The 
week's  wages,  which  we  received  last  night,  Avere  the 
wages  of  Gethsemane  and  Calvary.  Yes,  that  very 
money,  for  which  we  sweat  only  drops  of  toil,  Jesus 
sweat  "great  drops  of  blood  falling  down  to  the 
ground."  * 

In  thinking  so  much,  as  we  do,  about  the  greater 
benefits  of  our  Redeemer's  death,  we  are  prone  to 
forget  the  lesser.  He  died  for  our  sins,  most  true; 
but  He  died  for  our  sorrows  as  well:  "Surely  He  hath 
borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows."^    The  beg- 

1  Pbil.  ii.  7.  2  Rom.  v.  15.  3  n  Cor.  viii.  9. 

4  Luke  xxii.  41.     &  Isa.  liii.  4. 


OUR  SURE  SUPPLIES.  1 4/ 

gar's  cnist  of  bread  was  purchased  on  the  cross,  as 
Avell  as  his  crown  of  glory;  his  cup  of  cold  water 
only,  as  well  as  his  harp  of  gold.  And  your  morning 
meal,  which  you  received,  perhaps,  without  thaidvs- 
giving,  was  just  as  much  provided  for  you  by  Christ, 
as  the  bread  of  life.  The  raiment  that  you  now  wear 
was  Avoven  for  you  on  the  cross,  as  well  as  tlie  robe 
of  righteousness.  Yes,  Jesus  hungered  and  thirsted 
that  your  bread  and  water  might  be  sure.  He  had 
not  where  to  lay  His  head  that  you  might  have  your 
home  Avith  all  its  comforts.  He  Avas  stripped  of  His 
coat  that  you  might  have  one  to  put  on.  He  Avas 
friendless  that  you  might  have  friends.  And  last  of 
all,  He  gaA^e  His  life  a  ransom  for  your  life.  And  not 
only  so,  but  having  purchased,  at  such  a  cost,  these 
blessings  of  grace  and  glory  for  you.  He  brings  them 
to  you  and  begs  your  acceptance  of  them,  saying,  "  I 
counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the  fire,  that 
thou  mayest  be  rich;  and  Avhite  raiment,  that  thou 
mayest  be  clothed."^ 

HoAV  much,  how  very  much,  Ave  ought  to  love  our 
dear  Lord  Jesus !  Ought  to  love  Jesus  did  I  say  ? 
Let  me  look  at  that  Avinter-like  Avord  for  a  moment, 
that  I  may  measure  its  meaning?  At  the  first  glance 
the  lump  of  ice  begins  to  melt  into  a  river  of  pleasure. 
Did  j\Iary  the  mother  of  Jesus  feel  that  she  ought 
to  love  Joseph  her  espoused  husband?  Was  liachel 
obliged  to  love  Jacob?  and  Avas  it  Sarah's  duty  to 
lo\"e  Abraham?-  Oh  no!  these  honorable  women  loved 
their  husbands  because  they  could  not  help  it. 
1  Kev.  iii.  18. 


148  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

Even  so  I  love  my  Saviour.  Long  ago  I  yielded  to 
His  divine  wooing.  He  has  betrothed  me  to  Himself; 
I  am  His  royal  bride,  and  He  is  my  royal  Bridegroom : 
"My  Beloved  is  mine  and  I  am  His."^  He  has  gone 
away  to  prepare  for  me,  the  marriage  mansion  and 
the  marriage  supper.  Meanwhile  He  comes  to  see 
me,  and  before  the  celestial  beauty  of  His  fascinating 
and  triumphant  charms,  every  thought  of  obligation 
vanishes  away,  and  I  count  it  my  highest  joy  to  cast 
myself  into  His  kind  arms,  that  I  may  repose  there 
forever  on  the  bosom  of  His  infinite,  eternal,  and  un- 
changeable affection.  His  love  to  me  is  the  mother 
of  my  love  to  Him:  "We  love  Him,  because  He  first 
loved  us."  ^  Moreover  His  love  to  me  should  be  the 
measure  of  my  love  to  Him.  He  loved  me  so  much 
that  He  died  for  me:  "Who  loved  me,  and  gave  Him- 
self for  me ; "  ^  and  I  ought  to  be  willing  to  die  for 
Him. 

I  love  Him  for  what  He  is,  as  well  as  for  what  He 
has  done  for  me.  Am  I  poor?  Jesus  is  the  riches 
of  my  poverty.  Am  I  sick?  Jesus  is  the  health 
of  my  sickness.  Am  I  rich?  Jesus  is  more  than 
my  great  possessions.  Every  thing  without  Jesus  is 
nothing,  and  nothing  but  Jesus  is  Jesus  and  every 
thing.  He  is  better  than  the  best  of  all  my  friends; 
"The  chiefest  among  ten  thousand;"*  and  lovelier 
than  the  loveliest;  "Yea,  He  is  altogether  lovely." 
Superseding  all  when  all  remains,  He  is  a  substitute 
for  all  when  all  is  gone:  all  in  all,  and  all  Avithout 

1  Cant.  ii.  16.  21  John  iv.  19. 

3  Gal.  ii.  20.  ^  Cant.  v.  10. 


OUR   SURE   SUPPLIES.  I49 

all.  "  As  the  apple-tree  among  the  trees  of  the  wood, 
so  is  my  Beloved  among  the  sons.  I  sat  down  under 
His  shadow  with  great  delight,  and  His  fruit  was 
sweet  to  my  taste."  ^ 

Jesus  is  more  and  better  and  dearer  than  all  the 
world  to  me;  He  is  more  and  better  and  dearer  to 
me  than  all  the  world  to  come;  He  is  the  heaven 
of  my  heart,  and  the  heart  of  my  heaven :  "  AVliom 
have  I  in  heaven  but  thee?  and  there  is  none  upon 
earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee."''  "My  soul  doth 
magnify  the  Lord,  and  my  spirit  hath  rejoiced  in  God 
my  Saviour."^  "I  charge  yon,  0  ye  daughters  of 
Jerusalem,  by  the  roes,  and  by  the  hinds  of  the 
field,  that  ye  stir  not  up,  nor  awake  my  love  till 
He  please."* 

"O  light  in  darkness,  joy  in  grief, 
O  heaven  begun  on  earth  ! 
Jesus,  my  love,  my  treasure,  who 
Can  tell  what  Thou  art  worth  ?  " 

>  Cant.  ii.  3.  2  Ps.  ixxiii.  25. 

3  Luke  i.  46.  *  Cant.  ii.  7. 


0  Lord,  open  thou  my  lips,  and  my  mouth  shall 
show  forth  thy  praise.  Evening,  and  morning,  and 
at  noon,  will  I  pray  and  cry  aloud.  Remove  far  from 
me  vanity  and  lies ;  feed  me  with  food  convenient  for 
me;  lest  I  be  full,  and  deny  thee,  and  say,  WIio  is 
the  Lord?  Or  lest  I  be  poor,  and  steal,  and  take  the 
name  of  my  God  in  vain.  Give  me  a  blessing;  for 
thou   hast   given   me   a   south   land ;    give   me   also 


150  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

springs  of  water,  the  upper  springs,  and  the  nether 
springs.  Thy  words  were  found,  and  1  did  eat  them ; 
and  thy  word  was  unto  me  the  joy  and  rejoicing  of 
mine  heart:  for  I  am  called  by  thy  name,  0  Lord. 
How  precious,  also,  are  thy  thoughts  unto  me,  0 
God !  how  great  is  the  sum  of  them !  If  I  should 
count  them,  they  are  more  in  number  than  the  sand: 
when  I  awake,  I  am  still  Avith  thee.  I  will  go  in  the 
strength  of  the  Lord  God:  I  will  make  mention  of 
thy  righteousness,  even  of  thine  only.  0  God,  thou 
hast  taught  me  from  my  youth :  and  hitherto  have  I 
declared  thy  wondi-ous  Avorks.  Now,  also,  Avhen  I 
am  old  and  gray  headed,  0  God,  forsake  me  not; 
until  I  have  shoAved  thy  strength  unto  this  genera- 
tion, and  thy  poAver  to  every  one  that  is  to  come. 
Thou,  which  hast  shoAA^ed  me  great  and  sore  troubles, 
shalt  quicken  me  again,  and  shalt  bring  me  up  again 
from  the  depths  of  the  earth.  Thou  shalt  increase  my 
greatness,  and  comfort  me  on  every  side.  I  Avill  also 
praise  thee  with  the  psaltery,  even  thy  truth,  0  my 
God:  unto  thee  Avill  I  sing  Avith  the  harp,  0  thou 
Holy  One  of  Israel.  My  lips  shall  greatly  rejoice 
when  I  sing  unto  thee  ;  and  my  soul  which  thou 
hast  redeemed.  My  tongue  also  shall  talk  of  thy 
righteousness  all  the  day  long  :  for  they  are  con- 
founded, for  they  are  brought  unto  shame,  that  seek 
my  hurt.  My  soul  shall  make  her  boast  in  the 
Lord  ;  the  humble  shall  hear  thereof  and  be  glad. 
My  mouth  shall  speak  the  praise  of  the  Lord:  and 
let  all  flesh  bless  His  holy  name  forcA'er  and  ever. 


THE    SONG    OF    SORROWS. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

'■'■Although  the  Jig-tree  shall  not  blosso??t,  neither  shall  fruit  be  in  the 
vines ;  the  labor  of  the  olive  shall  fail,  and  the  fields  shall  yield  no 
meat ;  the  flock  shall  be  cut  off  from  the  fold,  and  there  shall  be  no  herd 
in  the  stalls  :  yet  I  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  I  zvill  joy  in  the  God  of  my 
salvation.'''' — Hab.  iii,  17,  18. 

THE  drought  in  summer  is  a  very  dreadful  thing. 
For  several  weeks,  perhaps  for  months,  there 
has  been  no  rain  from  heaven,  nor  any  dew,  to  refresh 
the  thirsty  earth,  and  every  green  thing  is  bhghted. 
And  if  dry  weather  continues  all  the  year  round,  the 
twelve  months  seem  like  a  funeral  procession  follow- 
ing the  dead  world  to  its  burial.  And  should  there 
be  no  "  showers  of  blessing "  ^  for  several  years  in 
succession,  no  speech  nor  language  could  describe  the 
consuming  curse.  The  flowers  fade  away,  the  springs 
and  wells  and  water-brooks  are  all  dried  up;  and  here 
and  there  the  ground  itself  is  split  asunder,  as  if  to 
show  that  the  very  heart  of  the  world  is  broken  by 
the  greatness  of  its  grief,  and  "the  whole  creation 
groaneth."^ 

The  sky  is  sometimes  overcast,  which  seems  a  token 

for  good,  but  the  next  moment  the  clouds  are  flying 

away,  as  if  they  had  come  only  to  mock  and  make 

sport  of  the  distress  which  is  overwhelming  the  earth 

1  Ezek.  xxxiv.  26.  2  Kom.  viii.  22. 


154  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

and  they  that  dwell  therein.  From  the  murky  ap- 
pearance of  the  landscape,  yon  would  judge  that  every 
hill  and  mountain  must  be  a  burning  volcano;  and  by 
breathing  the  stifling  atmosphere,  you  would  almost 
think  that  the  bottomless  pit  was  opened  to  mingle 
its  tormenting  smoke  with  the  suffocating  sunbeams. 

And,  while  the  blight  continues,  it  never  ceases  to 
turn  beauty  into  deformity,  health  into  sickness,  and 
life  into  death;  every  bright  spot  of  ground  is  blasted 
into  a  blackened  wilderness,  and  every  garden  en- 
closed seems  like  a  section  of  Sahara.  The  neighbor- 
ing lake,  once  so  beautiful  that  it  seemed  like  the 
smile  of  the  Great  Spirit,  has  become  a  dead  sea;  and 
the  noble  river  is  nothing  now  but  a  number  of  stag- 
nant pools,  which  breathe  out  their  pestilential  odors 
to  poison  the  air,  while  every  living  thing  is  either 
dead  or  dying:  "The  seed  is  rotten  under  their 
clods,  the  garners  are  laid  desolate,  the  barns  are 
broken  down;  for  the  corn  is  withered.  How  do  the 
beasts  groan!  the  herds  of  cattle  are  perplexed,  be- 
cause they  have  no  pasture;  yea,  the  flocks  of  sheep 
are  made  desolate."^ 

Such  is  the  doleful  picture  presented  to  us  in  the 
text.  A  great  calamity  Avas  coming  on  "the  Holy 
Land."^  Its  gloomy  sky  looked  strangely  forgetful  of 
the  early  and  the  latter  rain,  and  seemed  to  be  harden- 
ing into  iron  and  brass;  and  beneath  a  scorching 
sun  the  earth  was  fast  turning  into  powder  and  dust. 
The  days  and  nights  and  weeks  and  months  Avere 
only  dismal,  and  that  continually.  Dark  discomfort 
»  Joel  i.  17,  18.  2  Zech.  ii.  12. 


THE   SONG   OF  SORROWS.  1 55 

brooded  over  every  thing;  and  to  the  prophet's  eye 
Palesthie  presented  a  sadder  siglit  than  winter.  The 
leaves  of  the  trees  were  curhng  and  crunibhng  away, 
and  the  trees  themselves  were  dying  slowly;  and 
sweet  and  hapjDy  Canaan  was  looking  lonely,  des- 
ohxte,  and  sad. 

By  all  accounts,  the  land  of  promise  was  a  land  of 
plenty.  With  the  exception  of  Eden,  it  was  doubt- 
less the  most  fertile  corner  of  the  world:  "A  good 
land,  a  land  of  brooks  of  water,  of  fountains  and 
depths  that  spring  out  of  valleys  and  hills;  a  land  of 
wheat,  and  barley,  and  vines,  and  fig-trees,  and  pome- 
granates; a  land  of  oil  olive,  and  honey."  ^  When  the 
spies  were  searching  the  country,  they  came  to  the 
brook  Eschol,  "and  cut  down  from  thence  a  branch 
with  one  cluster  of  grapes,  and  they  bare  it  between 
two  upon  a  staff."-  How  large  and  heavy  that  clus- 
ter must  have  been!  and  what  a  good  idea  it  gives 
us  of  the  wonderful  fertility  of  the  soil!  And  besides 
the  fields,  the  flocks  and  herds  of  the  Holy  Land  are 
often  spoken  of  as  bringing  forth  plentifully. 

All  these  things,  pertaining  to  the  prosjDerity  of 
a  people,  were  not  only  found  in  Canaan,  but  they 
abounded  there.  They  abounded  there  by  the  bless- 
ing of  God,  who  sent  His  rain  to  soften  the  soil  and 
crown  it  with  glory. 

But  by  reason  of  the  sins  of  the  children  of  Israel 

the  natural  productions  of  their  covenanted  country 

are  represented  in  the  text  as  failing  and  spreading  a 

sore  famine  throughout  the   land.     "Her   Nazarites 

I  Deut.  viii.  7,  8.  2  Num.  xiii.  23. 


156  '     BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

were  purer  tlian  snow,  they  were  whiter  than  milk, 
they  Avere  more  ruddy  in  body  than  rubies,  their  pol-' 
ishing  was  of  sapphire ;  their  visage  is  blacker  than  a 
coal;  they  are  not  known  in  the  streets:  their  skin 
cleaveth  to  their  bones:  it  is  withered,  it  is  become 
like  a  stick."  ^  And  sorer  still,  thousands  of  the  peo- 
ple are  perishing  with  hunger  and  thirst.  In  every 
city,  and  in  almost  every  house,  there  is  weeping  and 
wailing,  and  whole  families  are  cut  off;  even  large 
villages  are  left  without  one  living  inhabitant. 

But  the  most  surprising  thing  of  all  tlie  rest  is 
this,  that  the  holy  man  of  God,  who  saw  and  sketched 
this  deplorable  picture,  himself  rejoices  in  the  Lord, 
giving  glory  to  the  God  of  his  salvation.  Looking 
around  on  the  mournful  scene,  no  tear  starts  from 
his  eye;  Hstening  to  the  cry  of  anguish  everywhere, 
no  sigh  rises  from  his  heart;  but  contrariwise,  a  song 
of  loudest  praise  bursts  forth  from  his  joyful  lips,  and 
these  are  the  brave,  beautiful,  and  blessed  words  to 
which  his  tongue  is  tuned:  "Although  the  fig-tree 
shall  not  blossom,  neither  shall  fruit  be  in  the  vines; 
the  labor  of  the  olive  shall  fail,  and  the  fields  shall 
yield  no  meat;  the  flock  shall  be  cut  off  from  the 
fold,  and  there  shall  be  no  herd  in  the  stalls:  yet  I 
will  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  I  will  joy  in  the  God  of  my 
salvation."^ 

This  inspired  song  of  sorrows  Avas  not  the  peculiar, 

personal  property  of  the  prophet,  through  whose  lips 

it  came,  like  a  charming  cadence  from  beyond  the 

sky.     It  is  given  to  all  the  suffering  people  of  God 

1  Lam.  iv.  7,  8.  2  Hab.  iii.  17,  18. 


THE  SONG   OF  SORROWS.  I  5/ 

in  every  age  and  in  every  land;  and  no  language, 
with  Avhicli  we  are  acquainted,  can  so  well  express 
the  triumphant  joy  which  the  Christian  may  experi- 
ence in  the  time  of  trouble.  The  fruitful  field  of  the 
heart  is  often  turned  into  a  barren  waste,  by  the  dis- 
tressing dispensations  of  Providence,  and  there  is  a 
sore  famine  in  the  soul.  The  brightest  human  hopes 
are  sometimes  blasted  Avhen  they  are  in  full  blossom ; 
and  the  longest  cherished  and  fondest  expectations 
are  often  altogether  vanity. 

•  Taking  up  this  theme,  Avhich  accompanies  and  flows 
from  the  text,  we  will  strive  to  engage  your  attention 
Avith  some  of  those  afflictions,  which  are  sent  upon  us 
here,  causing  us  more  sorrow  than  that  which  comes 
when  the  fig-tree  does  not  blossom,  and  there  is  no 
fruit  in  the  vines;  when  the  labor  of  the  olive  fails, 
and  the  fields  yield  no  meat;  when  the  flock  is  cut 
ofi"  from  the  fold,  and  there  is  no  herd  in  the  stalls. 

And,  that  there  may  be  some  method  in  our  medi- 
tation, when  entering  on  this  subject  we  will  remark, 
that  our  brightest  hopes  are  sometimes  blasted.  This 
is  so  self-evident  that  we  need  not  tarry  long  think- 
ing to  make  it  more  manifest.  It  so  coincides  with 
the  experience  of  mankind,  that  we  have  only  to 
appeal  to  your  own  hearts,  and  immediately  there 
is  an  amen,  and  an  argument  for  this  faithful  and 
true  saying,  that  human  expectations  are  "Vanity 
of  vanities."^ 

When  the  aged  men,  of  the  generation  that  is  pass- 
ing away,  were  young,  they  formed  their  plans  and 
1  Eccl.  i.  1. 


158  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

purposes,  and  marked  out  the  path  in  which  they 
would  Avalk.  In  their  own  minds  they  determined 
what  would  be  their  future  course;  they  decided 
where  and  how  they  would  live,  and  what  Avould  be 
their  business.  And  now,  after  so  long  a  time,  if 
they  would  give  expression  to  their  experience,  it 
would  begin  with  some  such  words  as  these,  "  We 
were  disappointed  in  our  expectations ; "  and  after 
this  manner  it  would  end,  "All  our  hopes  were 
blasted." 

These  did  not  realize  the  fairy-like  visions  of  the 
future  on  Avhich  they  used  to  pour  forth  all  the  po- 
etry of  their  souls.  Their  plans  failed,  their  purposes 
were  broken  off,  and  their  path  was  changed.  In 
the  bright  morning  of  life,  their  eyes  were  mercifully 
closed  concerning  their  destiny.  They  were  like  blind 
men,  and  the  Lord  brought  them  "  by  a  way  that 
they  knew  not."^  They  came  to  hills  of  difficulty 
which  they  could  not  climb  over;  and  their  own 
chosen  Avays  were  so  hedged  about,  that  they  Avere 
often  compelled  to  change  their  course,  as  the  sea- 
faring men  are  sometimes  obliged  to  do,  to  save 
themselves  from  shipwreck:  "A  man's  heart  deviseth 
his  way:  but  the  Lord  directeth  his  steps."  ^ 

Many  years  ago,  in  the  little  toAvn  of  Bethlehem, 
there  dwelt  a  happy  family  consisting  of  a  husband 
and  his  wife  and  their  tAVO  children.  Then,  as  now, 
it  Avas  a  religious  duty  to  labor  for  the  necessaries 
and  the  comforts  of  life;  and  Avith  the  purest  motives 
this  pious  family  "  Avent  to  sojourn  in  the  country  of 
1  Isa.  xHi.  16.  2  Prov.  xvi.  9. 


THE  SONG   OF  SORROWS.  I  59 

Moab."^  And  there  were  doubtless  many  good  rea- 
sons for  their  going  away,  beside  the  famine  that  had 
blasted  and  blackened  their  beautiful  land.  They  ex- 
pected to  get  relief  from  present  embarrassment,  and 
better  their  circumstances.  But  they  went  from  bad 
to  worse,  and  all  of  them,  but  one,  went  to  their 
graves.  And  after  ten  years  of  tribulation  and  an- 
guish, the  widowed,  childless  mother  returned,  say- 
ing, "  I  went  out  full,  and  the  Lord  hath  brought  me 
home  again  empty."  ^ 

These  people,  it  is  true,  did  not  belong  to  the  no- 
bility, nor  were  they  blessed  with  wealth ;  they  were 
only  a  poor  family.  But  the  richest,  oldest,  and  most 
honorable  families  of  earth  are  not  exempt  from  the 
vicissitudes  of  fortune.  Even  royal  families  are  not 
always  prosperous.  David  had  riches  and  honor  in 
abundance.  He  resided  in  a  splendid  mansion,  and 
swayed  the  heaviest  sceptre  that  any  monarch  ever 
lifted,  for  he  was  king  in  Jerusalem.  Besides,  he 
was  greatly  beloved  of  God,  "a  man  after  Plis  own 
heart."  ^  But  there  came  a  dark  day  during  his  reign, 
Avhen  he  was  driven  from  his  dominion,  and  for  some 
time  he  was  supported  by  the  charity  of  his  heathen 
neighbors,  who  felt  pity  for  him,  and  "  Brought  beds, 
and  basins,  and  earthen  vessels,  and  wheat,  and  bar- 
ley, and  flour,  and  parched  corn,  and  beans,  and  len- 
tils, and  parched  pulse,  and  honey,  and  butter,  and 
sheep,  and  cheese  of  kine,  for  David,  and  for  the 
people  that  were  with  him  to  eat :  for  they  said.  The 
people  is  hungry,  and  weary,  and  thirsty  in  the  Avilder- 
1  Euth  i.  1.  2  Euth  i.  21.  3  i  Sam.  xiii.  14. 


l6o  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

ness."  ^  And  in  our  own  clay  we  have  seen  the  rich- 
est ruler  in  the  world  disguised  in  the  livery  of  a 
servant  flying  for  his  life,  and  dying  in  a  strange  land, 
an  alien  and  almost  a  beggar.  All  history,  ancient 
and  modern,  sacred  and  profane,  is  a  sorry  commen- 
tary on  the  vanity  of  human  hopes. 

Those  of  us  who  have  lived  long  enough  to  see  the 
variety  and  to  feel  the  vicissitudes  of  life,  need  no 
evidence  to  prove  our  personal  knowledge.  But  there 
are  many,  in  the  morning  of  life,  who  are  about  to 
spread  the  sail,  and  put  out  to  sea  in  a  cruise  after 
happiness.  And  you  may  depend  upon  it,  you  will 
be  disappointed  every  way.  The  water  will  be  rough 
sometimes,  the  sky  will  be  dark,  and  the  heaviest 
anchors  Avill  not  be  able  to  hold  your  ship,  Avhen  she 
shall  be  driven  before  the  wind,  and  "exceedingly 
tossed  with  a  tempest."  ^  And  sorer  still,  you  will 
never  find  the  object  of  your  search.  "The  depth 
saith,  It  is  not  in  me:  and  the  sea  saith.  It  is  not  with 
me."^  Some  of  your  calculations  may  even  now  be 
reaching  far  into  the  future;  but  you  better  have  a 
care,  and  preface  every  plan,  "By  the  will  of  God." 
"Boast  not  thyself  of  to-morrow;  for  thou  knowest 
not  what  a  day  may  bring  forth."*  "Go  to  now,  ye 
that  say.  To-day  or  to-morrow  we  will  go  into  such  a 
city,  and  continue  there  a  year,  and  buy  and  sell,  and 
get  gain :  whereas  ye  know  not  what  shall  be  on  the 
morrow."^  You  may  be  intending  to  give  an  enter- 
tainment to  your  friends.    The  time  may  be  appointed 

>  II  Sam.  xvii.  28,  29.       2  Acts  xxvii.  18.       3  job  xxviii.  14. 
*  Prov.  xxvii.  1.  ^  James  iv.  13. 


THE   SONG   OF  SORROWS.  l6l 

for  the  banquet,  the  invitations  may  be  issued,  and 
music  may  be  engaged.  But  the  day  ^br  the  banquet 
may  prove  the  day  for  the  burial;  and  instead  of 
receiving  your  guests  so  joyfully  as  you  expected, 
they  may  gather  sadly  around  your  coffin  and  carry 
you  to  the  tomb;  and  perhaps  some  of  them  may 
learn  that,  "It  is  better  to  go  to  the  house  of  mourn- 
ing, than  to  go  to  the  house  of  feasting."  ^ 

It  should  however  be  observed,  that,  as  a  general 
rule,  human  hopes  are  not  all  blasted  at  the  same 
time.  It  is  very  seldom  that  we  see  a  person  who 
is  a  stranger  to  all  joy  and  always.  One  whose  head 
is  waters;  Avhose  eyes  are  a  fountain  of  tears;  and 
whose  heart  is  girdled  with  grief  In  the  natural 
world  it  is  not  often  that  there  comes  a  general 
famine.  We  have  never  seen  a  total  failure  of  all 
the  crops,  all  over  the  country,  during  the  same 
season.  One  kind  of  grain  may  prove  not  worth 
the  reaping,  but  of  another  sort  there  may  be  a 
plentiful  harvest.  The  products  of  the  early  spring 
may  be  destroyed  by  an  untimely  frost,  but  the  sum- 
mer's planting  may  escape  the  blight.  If  the  fig-tree 
shall  not  blossom,  there  may  be  fruit  in  the  vines:  and 
if  the  labor  of  the  olive  fail,  the  fields  might  yield 
their  meat;  and  though  the  flock  be  cut  off  from  the 
fold,  still  a  small  herd  may  be  left  in  the  stalls.  The 
total  failure  of  all  these  good  gifts  to  the  husband- 
man, is  a  calamity  which  comes  only  once  in  many 
years. 

And,   as  a  general  thing,   grief  comes  gradually, 

1  Eccl.  vii.  2. 
11 


1 62  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

little  by  little.  The  burden  is  Avisely  suited  to  the 
pilgrim's  bending  back;  and  if  it  should  seem  too 
much  for  him,  tiie  Saviour,  his  companion  in  tribu- 
ulation,  puts  Plis  own  shoulder  to  its  support.  Jesus 
tempers  every  trial:  "He  stayeth  His  rough  wind  in 
the  day  of  tlie  east  wind;"^  and  will  never  permit 
His  blood-bought  people  to  be  "swallowed  up  with 
overmuch  sorrow."^  He  has  made  too  many  prom- 
ises to  them,  loves  them  too  Avell,  has  laid  out  too 
much  for  them,  and  is  too  much  interested  in  their 
welfare,  to  allow  them  to  be  crushed  to  death,  by  the 
burdens  wdiich  they  can  not  carry:  "God  is  faithful, 
who  will  not  suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye 
are  able;  but  will  with  the  temptation  also  make  a 
way  to  escape,  that  ye  may  be  able  to  bear  it."  ^ 

Sickness  comes  upon  the  saint;  his  health  is  so 
badly  broken  that  he  can  never  expect  to  be  the 
same  active  man  again;  and  immediately  the  blight 
begins  to  appear,  and  the  fig-tree  does  not  blossom. 
Then  adversity  follows,  nor  is  it  any  w^onder.  He 
can  not  meet  his  engagements,  and  not  being  able 
to  superintend  his  own  affairs,  he  becomes  embar- 
rassed in  business,  and  there  is  no  fruit  in  the  vines. 
At  last  death  comes  suddenly  into  his  family,  and  the 
desire  of  his  eyes  is  taken  away  with  a  stroke.  The 
twain  Avhom  God  joined  together  are  put  asunder,  and 
the  labor  of  the  olive  fails. 

Now  so  much  of  a  famine  of  the  good  things  of 
this  life  some  of  you  may  have  experienced  already. 
And  if  you  have  not,  you  must  have  seen  many  of 
1  Isa.  xxvii.  8.  2  II  Cor.  ii.  7.  3  i  Cor.  x.  13. 


THE   SONG   OF  SORROWS  1 63 

your  friends  and  neighbors  suffering  by  r(.ason  of  it. 
And  if  so  much  sorrow  be  sufficient  for  the  Christian's 
proving  and  purifying,  he  is  afflicted  no  more.  But 
if  it  be  not  sufficient,  he  must  continue  to  hear  the 
rod  which  speaks  as  well  as  smites.  And  in  all  our 
afflictions  it  is  beautiful  and  good  to  notice  the  gentle- 
ness and  tenderness  and  mother-like  manner  in  which 
they  are  administered.  We  wander  from  the  way  of 
holiness  and  sin  against  heaven.  We  forget  that  we 
are  betrothed  unto  the  Lord  forever,  and  forsake  our 
first  love ;  and  immediately  He  begins  to  plead  with 
us.  He  speaks  kindly,  in  "a  still  small  voice,"  ^  and 
utters  only  comfortable  words:  "Turn,  0  backsliding 
children,  saith  the  Lord;  for  -I  am  married  unto  you."^ 
But  if  there  be  no  repentance  on  our  part,  nor  works 
meet  for  repentance,  He  keeps  on  speaking,  and  smit- 
ing too,  if  it  must  be  so,  until  He  is  both  heard  and 
heeded.  He  says,  "1  will  curse  your  blessings;"^  and 
in  the  departure  of  those  things  that  we  love,  and  in 
the  coming  of  those  things  that  we  dread,  we  hear 
His  voice  and  feel  His  hand.  Our  own  chosen  way 
is  hedged  up  with  thorns,  so  that  Ave  can  not  get 
out  to  follow  after  other  lovers.  Our  corn  is  taken 
away  in  the  time  thereof,  and  our  wine  in  the  season 
thereof,  till  we  are  constrained  to  say,  "  I  Avill  go  and 
return  to  my  first  husband;  for  then  it  was  better 
with  me  than  now."  * 

By  the  Jews  the  leprosy  was  called  "the  finger  of 
God,"  and  emphatically,  the  stroke.     They  said  that 

1  I  Kings  xix.  12.  2  Jer.  iii.  14. 

3  Mai.  ii.  2.  4  Hos.  ii.  7. 


164  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

it  attacked  first  a  man's  house,  and  if  he  did  not  turn, 
his  clothing;  and  then  if  he  continued  in  sin,  him- 
self And  whether  the  fact  was  so  or  not,  this  is  a 
fine  ilkistration  of  the  manner  in  which  God's  judg- 
ments, if  men  refuse  to  listen  to  them,  reach  nearer 
and  nearer  to  the  centre  of  their  life.  Our  heavenly 
Father  is  so  full  of  tender  compassion  that  He  can 
not  smite  us  as  we  deserve.  His  loving  heart  holds 
back  His  lifted  hand.  Blessed  be  His  glorious  name 
forever,  "He  hath  not  dealt  with  us  after  our  sins; 
nor  rewarded  us  according  to  our  iniquities;"^  "Yea, 
many  a  time  turned  He  His  anger  away,  and  did  not 
stir  up  all  His  wrath."- 

But  if  the  milder  measures  of  His  loving-kindness 
prove  ineffectual,  if  the  partial  famine  of  our  comforts 
bring  us  not  back  to  the  feet  of  Jesus,  in  penitence 
and  prayer,  there  will  follow  blight  after  blight,  and 
blow  after  blow,  till  tliere  comes  a  total  failure  of 
every  blessing.  Of  the  Lord's  own  covenant  people 
it  was  said,  "AVlieii  He  slew  them,  then  they  sought 
Him:  and  they  returned  and  inquired  early  after  God. 
And  they  remembered  that  God  was  their  Rock  and 
the  high  God  their  Redeemer."'' 

And  so  it  comes  to  pass,  that  all  our  hopes  are 
sometimes  blasted  all  at  once.  Every  blessing  is 
cursed,  every  friend  is  taken  away,  and  cross  after 
cross  is  laid  on  the  weary  shoulder.  Such  cases  may 
be  of  rare  occurrence;  nevertheless  we  can  not  close 
our  eyes  to  tlie  fact,  that  some  people  have  been 
marked  by  sorrow  as  peculiarly  her  own.  Perhaps, 
1  Ps.  ciii.  10.         2  Ps.  IxxYiii.  38.         3  Ps.  Ixxviii.  34,  35. 


THE   SONG   OF  SORROWS.  1 65 

even  now,  within  the  circle  of  your  acquaintances, 
you  may  be  able  to  remember  some  on  whose  brow 
sadness  ever  sits  enthroned;  some  in  Avhose  sky  not 
one  star  is  ever  seen  to  shine,  and  in  Avhose  bliglited 
heart  no  blessed  hope  of  better  days  is  dawning. 
They  were  born  to  trouble,  and  to  nothing  else.  Be- 
neath the  cloud  they  go  always,  and  are  never  once 
seen  beyond  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death.  When 
the  morning  comes,  they  say,  "Would  God  it  were 
even!"^  and  at  even  they  say,  "AVould  God  it  were 
morning!"  All  time  is  a  time  of  trouble,  and  it  hangs 
heavily  upon  them.  It  can  hardly  be  said  that  they 
have  any  days;  because  the  rising  of  the  sun  is  like 
the  going  down  of  the  same,  and  it  is  night  all 
the  time  where  they  sojourn.  And  they,  have  tlieir 
"songs  in  the  night" ;^  but  these  are  all  sorrowful, 
and  are  set  to  some  mournful  tune  and  sound,  like 
the  sighing  of  the  stormy  wind,  or  the  moaning  of 
the  melancholy  sea.  Passing  through  the  valle}'-  of 
Baca,  they  can  dig  no  wells  for  their  refreshment. 
You  never  see  them  smiling  and  happy;  but,  on  the 
contrary,  they  are  as  solemn  and  as  gloomy  as  the 
grave.  And  why  are  they  so  sorrowful?  AVhy,  just 
because  there  is  to  them  such  a  total  failure  of  all 
their  temporal  blessings.  In  their  painful  experience 
the  fig-tree  does  not  blossom,  and  there  is  no  fruit  m 
the  vines;  the  labor  of  the  olive  fails,  and  the  fields 
yield  no  meat;  the  flock  is  cut  off  from  the  fold,  and 
there  is  no  herd  in  the  stalls.  Every  hope  is  blasted; 
every  comfort  is  clean  gone ;  every  shadowing  gourd 
1  Deut.  xxviii.  67.  2  Job  xxxv.  10. 


1 66  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

is  withered;  and  every  well-spring  of  pleasure  is  dried 
up.  They  have  no  heart  for  any  thing  any  more,  ex- 
cept to  brood  over  its  own  bitterness.  In  their  per- 
sonal history  they  find  ample  proof  of  the  proverb, 
that  one  sorrow  seldom  comes  alone,  and  when  it 
does  it  is  sometimes  the  forerunner  of  a  troop.  "That 
which  the  palmerworm  hath  left  hath  the  locust 
eaten ;  and  that  which  the  locust  hath  left  hath  the 
cankerworm  eaten;  and  that  Avhich  the  cankerworm 
hath  left  hath  the  caterpillar  eaten."  ^ 

Without  controversy,  such  was  the  case  of  the  up- 
right man  of  the  land  of  Uz.  The  patriarch  Job 
was  blessed  so  abundantly  that  the  horn  of  heaven's 
plenty  seemed  to  be  emptied  in  his  lap.  Ten  olive 
plants  were  growing  up  round  about  his  table, — 
"  Seven  sons  and  three  daughters," — and  in  his  con- 
stantly increasing  wealth  he  had  enough  and  to 
spare;  besides,  he  was  "the  greatest  of  all  the  men 
of  the  east."^  But  yet,  in  one  short  day,  adversity, 
affliction,  and  bereavement  came.  It  was  not  in  the 
same  year,  nor  in  the  same  month,  nor  in  the  same 
week,  but  it  was  in  the  same  day;  and  doubtless  it 
was  in  the  same  hour  that  his  sore  troubles  lighted 
round  him  like  birds  of  prey:  "Wheresoever  the  body 
is,  thither  will  the  eagles  be  gathered  together."^ 
And  herein  consists  the  overwlielming  severity  of  his 
sorrows,  they  came  so  close  together,  like  wave  suc- 
ceeding wave.  Before  he  had  time  to  recover  from 
the  first  calamity,  the  second  came;  and  then  the 
third;  and  still  another,  heavier  and  harder  to  be 
1  Joel  i.  4.  2  Job  i.  3.  s  Luke  xvii.  37. 


THE  SONG   OF  SORROWS.  1 6/ 

borne  than  all  the  rest.  Let  us  listen  to  the  woe- 
ful story.  "  There  was  a  day  when  his  sons  and  his 
daughters  were  eating  and  drinking  wine  in  their 
eldest  brother's  house:  and  there  came  a  messenger 
unto  Job,  and  said,  The  oxen  were  ploughing,  and 
the  asses  feeding  beside  them :  and  the  Sabeans  fell 
upon  them,  and  took  them  away;  yea,  they  have 
slain  the  servants  with  the  edge  of  the  sword;  and 
I  only  am  escaped  alone  to  tell  thee.  While  he  was 
yet  speaking,  there  came  also  another,  and  said,  The 
fire  of  God  is  fallen  from  heaven,  and  hath  burned  up 
the  sheep,  and  the  servants,  and  consumed  them;  and 
I  only  am  escaped  alone  to  tell  thee.  While  he  was 
yet  speaking,  there  came  also  another,  and  said,  The 
Chaldeans  made  out  three  bands,  and  fell  upon  the 
camels,  and  have  carried  them  away,  yea,  and  slain 
the  servants  with  the  edge  of  the  sword;  and  I  only 
am  escaped  alone  to  tell  thee.  While  he  was  yet 
speaking,  there  came  also  another,  and  said,  Thy  sons 
and  thy  daughters  were  eating  and  drinking  wine  in 
their  eldest  brother  s  house :  and,  behold,  there  came 
a  great  wind  from  the  wilderness,  and  smote  the  four 
corners  of  the  house,  and  it  fell  upon  the  young  men, 
and  they  are  dead;  and  I  only  am  escaped  alone  to 
tell  thee."  ^ 

When  such  sorrows  are  sent  upon  us,  we  should 
rejoice  because  they  come  at  the  command  of  God. 
Seasons  of  famine  are  just  as  much  from  Him  as 
fruitful  seasons;  the  " black  horses "  of  adversity  are • 
sent  out  by  Him,  as  well  as  the  "white  horses"-  of 
1  Job  i.  13-19.  2  Zech.  vi.  2,  3. 


1 68  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

prosperity.  We  must  look  above  and  beyond  the 
second  and  apparent  causes  to  God, — the  First,  the 
Last,  and  only  efficient  Cause, — the  Cause  of  causes, 
"Who  hath  measured  the  waters  in  the  hollow  of  His 
hand."^  The  waters  that  are  above  the  firmament 
He  holds  in  one  hand,  and  the  Avaters  that  are  under 
the  firmament  He  holds  in  the  other  hand.  And  with 
His  hands,  as  with  a  pair  of  balances,  "  He  Aveigheth 
the  waters,"^  and  poureth  them  from  one  to  the  other 
by  measure,  and  according  to  His  good  pleasure:  "He 
causeth  the  vapors  to  ascend  from  the  ends  of  the 
earth;  He  maketh  lightnings  for  the  rain ;  He  bring- 
eth  the  Avind  out  of  His  treasuries."^ 

And  as  the  Lord  reigneth  in  the  kingdom  of  na- 
ture,— making  the  day  and  the  night,  the  summer 
and  the  winter;  so  He  reigneth  in  the  kingdom  of 
providence, — ordaining,  ordering,  and  overruling  all 
things.  Therefore,  in  all  time  of  our  trial,  and  in  all 
time  of  our  tribulation,  the  lofty  language  of  the  lat- 
ter part  of  the  text  ought  to  dwell  upon  our  tongues. 
Great  grief  may  be  indulged  by  the  heathen  in  their 
blindness,  and  by  all  those  Avho  do  not  knoAv  that  the 
earth  has  a  heavenly  Euler;  but  it  is  positiA^ely  sinful 
for  the  Christian  to  abandon  his  heart  to  excessive 
sorroAv,  and  go  mourning  all  his  days. 

Public  affairs  may  take  a  sombre  turn,  and  party 
spirit  may  rise  to  such  a  pitch  of  passion  as  to 
threaten  the  overthroAV  of  the  government  under 
which  Ave  live;  and  the  hearts  of  our  Avisest  states- 
men may  be  failing  them  for  fear  of  the  fearful  things 
1  Isa.  xl.  12.  2  Job  xxviii.  25.  3  Ps.  cxxxv.  7. 


THE   SONG   OF  SORROWS.  1 69 

that  seem  to  be  coming  in  the  near  future.  Moreover, 
the  times  may  be  hard;  every  branch  of  business  may 
be  perfectly  prostrated,  and  tens  of  thousands  of  peo- 
ple, Avho  were  once  in  easy  circumstances,  may  be  sit- 
ting in  sackcloth  and  ashes,  saying,  "  What  shall  we 
eat  ?  or.  What  shall  we  drink  ?  or,  Wherewithal  shall 
we  be  clothed  ?  "  ^ 

But  the  Lord  reigneth,  and  the  helm  of  our  national 
affairs  is  held  in  His  hand.  "The  Lord  hath  prepared 
His  throne  in  the  heavens,  and  His  kingdom  ruleth 
over  all."^  "  He  changeth  the  times  and  the  seasons: 
He  removeth  kings  and  setteth  up  kings."  ^  He  may 
not  be  heard  in  the  councils  and  cabinets  of  presidents 
and  princes,  nevertheless  He  is  always  present  pre- 
siding over  all  their  deliberations,  and  ruling  or  over- 
ruling all  their  acts,  for  the  promotion  of  His  own 
plans.  He  never  interferes  with  the  freedom  of  their 
will,  they  do  just  as  they  please,  and  at  the  same  time 
they  do  all  His  pleasure.  His  name  may  be  carefully 
excluded  from  their  constitutions,  as  it  is  from  our 
owai;  and  in  the  administration  of  affairs  His  author- 
ity may  be  quite  overlooked;  but  though  the  govern- 
ment be  infidel  or  atheistic,  it  is  on  His  shoulder. 
The  most  special  efforts  may  be  made  to  resist  His 
influence,  and  to  thwart  His  purposes,  but  they  shall 
utterly  fail:  "The  kings  of  the  earth  set  themselves, 
and  the  rulers  take  counsel  together,  against  the 
Lord,  and  against  His  Anointed,  saying.  Let  us  break 
their  bands  asunder,  and  cast  away  their  cords  from 
us.  He  that  sitteth  in  the  heavens  shall  laugh :  the 
1  Mat.  vi.  31.         2  Ps.  ciii.  19.        3  Dan.  ii.  21. 


I/O  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

Lord  shall  have  them  in  derision."^  The  kings  and 
queens  of  the  earth,  whether  they  are  good  or  bad, 
are  all  His  ministers.  Their  hearts  are  in  His  hand, 
and  "He  turneth  them  whithersoever  He  will."^  The 
crown  is  not  on  Cesar's  head,  but  on  Christ's,  "Who 
is  the  blessed  and  only  Potentate,  the  King  of  kings, 
and  Lord  of  lords."  ^ 

And  the  hard  times  come  from  heaven.  After  a 
season  of  prosperity  we  should  expect  a  season  of 
adversity,  because  "  God  also  hath  set  the  one  over 
against  the  other."''  AVhen  David  said  to  God,  "My 
times  are  in  thy  hand,"^  he  did  not  mean  his  good 
times  merely,  but  his  bad  times  as  well,  if,  indeed, 
he  did  not  mean  these  last  altogether.  The  years  of 
poverty  are  just  as  much  from  God  as  the  years  of 
plenty.  The  seven  lean  kine  and  the  seven  fat  kine 
came  up  out  of  the  same  river.  And  when  we  are 
crushed  in  spirit  and  our  substance  is  consumed  away, 
it  is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  the  Lord's  people  ought  to 
be  as  ready  to  recognize  this  truth  as  the  heathen 
magicians  in  Egypt,  who  were  constrained  to  say, 
concerning  one  of  the  plagues,  "This  is  the  finger 
of  God."^ 

The  Lord  reigneth!  What  a  soul-filling  and  re- 
freshing thought  this  is  in  troublous  times,  like  the 
present,  when  the  whole  world  is  agitated,  alarmed, 
and  apprehensive  of  evil.  Almost  every  year  there  is 
a  congress  of  kings,  and  the  oldest  empires  of  the 
earth  are  depending  for  their  existence  on  the  skill 

1  Ps.  ii.  2-4.  2  Prov.  xxi.  1.  3  i  Tim.  vi.  15. 

4  Eccl.  vii.  14.         6  Ps,  xxxi.  15.  e  Exod.  viii.  19. 


THE   SONG   OF  SORROWS.  171 

of  diplomacy  or  the  strength  of  arms.  But  when 
Christ  says,  "Tiie  time  is  come,"  the  greatest  domin- 
ion must  pass  away  and  perish.  It  is  the  pierced 
hand  that  sways  the  universal  sceptre.  It  is  the 
thorn-torn,  bleeding  brow,  that  wears  the  "  many 
crowns."^  It  is  the  One  who  was  hanged  upon  a 
tree,  who  has  become  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the 
earth,  and  "  He  must  reign,  till  He  hath  put  all  ene- 
mies under  His  feet."  ^ 

When  we  hear  about  wars  and  rumors  of  wars; 
when  we  see  crowned  heads  taking  counsel  together 
so  often ;  when  we  know  that  great  armies  are  mus- 
tering and  marching  to  "Armageddon,"^ — some  may 
find  the  cause  of  all  these  troubles  in  malice,  or  mad 
ambition,  or  "  the  balance  of  poAver  " ;  but  we  can  not 
stop  short  of  the  First  and  Last  and  only  true  Cause. 
It  is  our  joy  to  know  that  all  these  things  are  noth- 
ing else  than  the  Man  with  the  bruised  heel  going 
through  the  earth  casting  down  one,  and  setting  up 
another,  and  so  preparing  the  way  for  all  the  nations 
to  come  and  crown  Him  Lord  of  all. 

The  Lord  reigneth !  How  sweetly  comforting  is 
this  to  the  Christian  in  times  of  personal  trial.  Per- 
haps some  of  you  are  passing  through  the  waters 
now,  sinking  down  in  the  dark  depths  of  sorrow  and 
of  suffering.  You  are  greatly  embarrassed  in  your 
business,  and  all  your  friends  have  failed  to  help  you. 
Your  creditors  are  getting  uneasy ;  some  of  them  have 
seized  your  property,  and  there  is  the  sheriff's  notice 
of  sale  nailed  upon  the  door  of  your  dwelling.  And, 
1  Eev.  xix.  12.  2  I  Cor.  xv.  25.  3  Eev.  xvi.  16. 


172  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

sorer  still,  it  is  whispered  about  that  you  are  not  as 
honest  as  you  ought  to  be,  and  your  health  begins 
to  break.  Here  and  there  may  be  found  a  man  Avho 
ascribes  such  sad  changes  as  these  to  chance.  Chance 
what?  chance  who?  chance  where?  "It  is  the  Lord: 
let  Him  do  what  seemeth  Him  good."^  "  Wliat?  shall 
we  receive  good  at  the  hand  of  God,  and  shall  we  not 
receive  evil  ?  "  ^ 

Eisiug  a  little  higher  in  God's  own  chosen  way  of 
holiness,  we  should  rejoice  in  our  sorrows  because 
they  are  sent  upon  us  in  loving-kindness.  When  His 
covenant  people  were  entering  into  their  covenanted 
country,  the  Lord  said  to  them,  "It  sliall  come  to 
pass,  if  ye  shall  hearken  diligently  unto  my  com- 
mandments which  I  command  you  this  day,  to  loA^e 
the  Lord  your  God,  and  to  serve  Him  with  all  your 
heart  and  with  all  your  soul,  that  I  will  give  you  the 
rain  of  your  land  in  his  due  season,  the  first  rain  and 
the  latter  rain,  that  thou  mayest  gather  in  thy  corn, 
and  thy  wine,  and  thine  oil.  And  I  will  send  grass  in 
thy  fields  for  thy  cattle,  that  thou  mayest  eat  and  be 
full.  Take  heed  to  yourselves,  that  your  heart  be  not 
deceived,  and  ye  turn  aside,  and  serve  other  Gods, 
and  worship  them;  and  then  the  Lord's  wrath  be 
kindled  against  you,  and  He  shut  up  the  heaven, 
that  there  be  no  rain,  and  that  the  land  yield  not 
her  fruit;  and  lest  ye  perish  quickly  from  off  the 
good  land  which  the  Lord  giveth  you."^  In  these 
words  there  is  a  precious  promise,  and  a  terrible 
threatening;  but  each  had  the  same  blessed  end  in 
1  I  Sam.  iii.  18.  2  job  ii.  10.  3  Deut.  xi.  13-17. 


THE   SONG   OF  SORROWS.  1 73 

view,  and  both  of  them  proceeded  from  the  Hps  oi 
the  same  Lord,  whose  wrath  is  only  another  name 
for  His  love:  "  For  whom  the  Lord  loveth  He  correct- 
eth;  even  as  a  father  the  son  in  whom  he  delighteth."^ 

In  time  of  trouble,  it  would  be  good  to  have  a  friend 
at  court,  who  could  speak  to  the  king  in  our  behalf; 
but  it  would  be  better  to  have  a  father  on  the  throne 
to  whom  we  could  go  ourselves.  Then  we  might 
reasonably  expect  much  care,  and  many  royal  favors. 
And  this  is  our  case  exactly.  The  Father  of  the  rain 
and  the  dew  is  our  Father,  and  having  the  heart  of  a 
father.  He  loves  us  dearly,  and  has  a  tenderer  watch 
and  care  over  us  than  the  kindest  eartlily  parent. 
The  divinest  mother's  love  is  only  the  dim  shadow 
of  His  better  and  more  abiding  affection;  and  the 
fondest  father  in  the  Avorld  must  be  counted  a  stran- 
ger in  comparison  of  Him.  He  is  a  Father  who  has 
the  measurement  of  our  strength:  "He  knoweth  our 
frame;  He  remembereth  that  we  are  dust";^  and  He 
is  so  considerate  that  He  will  never  permit  us  to 
be  burdened  above  what  we  are  able  to  bear.  And 
when  we  look  at  our  afflictions  in  the  light  of  His 
loving-kindness,  every  difficulty  is  solved,  every  cloud 
is  brightened,  and  every  sorrow  is  sweetened.  A 
Father's  love — our  Father's  love — is  the  mainspring 
of  every  mournful  event,  and  the  cause  of  every  ca- 
lamity: "For  whom  the  Lord  loveth  He  chasteneth, 
and  scourgeth  every  son  whom  he  receiveth."^ 

And  this,  after  all,  is  the  only  way  in  which  we 
can  account  for  the  perplexing  dispensations  of  Prov- 
1  Prov.  ill.  12.  2  Ps.  ciii.  14^  3  Heb.  xii.  6. 


174  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

idence.  Eeason  can  not  explain  the  reason  of  the 
rod;  passing  through  this  Baca  of  breaking  and  of 
bleeding  hearts,  it  is  at  best  but  a  blind  leader  of  the 
blind,  and  there  is  danger  that  both  may  fall  into  the 
ditch.  The  greatest  modern  philosopher,  whose  mind 
is  stored  with  all  the  wisdom  of  the  world,  can  not 
master  the  mystery  of  affliction.  "Sir,  thou  hast 
nothing  to  draw  with,  and  the  well  is  deep."^ 

And  no  other  perfection  of  "The  everlasting  Fa- 
ther," ^  except  His  love,  can  solve  the  problem  of  our 
sorrows.  At  present,  we  may  not  be  able  to  under- 
stand it  perfectly:  "For  now  we  see  through  a  glass 
darkly ; "  ^  but  in  a  little  while  it  will  be  made  quite 
plain.  A  Father's  love  sends  every  storm  on  the 
water,  gathers  every  cloud  in  the  sky,  and  plants 
every  thorn  in  our  path;  it  is  the  pruning-hook  that 
sunders  every  tie,  the  hammer  that  nails  every  coffin, 
and  the  spade  that  digs  every  grave.  Yes,  it  is  our 
Father's  love  that  gathers  the  lilies  from  our  garden, 
leaving  the  home  so  desolate,  and  the  heart  so  full  of 
anguish.  "Even  so,  Father;  for  so  it  seemed  good 
in  thy  sight."  ^ 

And  if  any  of  you  are  asking  why  our  heavenly 
Father  resorts  to  such  severity  sometimes,  I  will  tell 
you.  It  is  because  He  hates  sin  with  such  a  perfect 
hatred,  and  loves  His  children  with  such  a  perfect 
love.  He  finds  the  elements  of  evil  bound  up  in  their 
hearts,  and  He  will  not  suffer  these  to  remain  there 
to  work  their  ruin.     And  the  very  fact  that  He  cor- 

'  Jolin  iv.  11.  2  isa.  ix.  6. 

3  I  Cor.  xiii.  12.  ^  Mat.  xi.  26. 


THE   SONG   OF  SORROWS.  1 75 

rects  tliem  is  the  best  evidence  that  He  has  the  kind- 
est feelings  for  them.  It  is  to  make  your  children 
more  obedient,  and  better  every  way,  that  you  are 
often  obliged  to  use  the  rod ;  you  love  them  too  well, 
and  are  too  anxious  for  their  future  welfare,  to  per- 
mit them  to  grow  up  in  the  way  that  they  would  go 
if  tliey  were  left  unrestrained  and  uncorrected. 

And  it  is  when  they  do  wrong,  and  because  they 
do  wrong,  that  our  heavenly  Father  chasteneth  His 
sons  and  daughters;  and  it  is  not  against  them,  but 
against  their  sins,  that  every  blow  is  aimed.  If  the 
precious  metals  came  pure  from  tlie  mines,  there 
would  be  no  need  of  the  furnace;  there  would  be 
no  need  of  the  fire.  It  is  their  dross  and  tin  that 
renders  their  refining  necessary.  And  it  is  of  a  set 
purpose  to  burn  out  of  His  dear  children  the  dross  of 
t3arnality  that  God  the  Father,  and  their  Father,  puts 
them  in  the  fining  pot  and  kindles  the  fire.  Love  is 
the  fuel  that  feeds  and  fans  the  flame;  the  flame 
itself  is  love — every  spark  is  love.  The  painful  pro- 
cess is  begun  and  continued  and  ended  in  love:  "As 
many  as  I  love,  I  rebuke  and  chasten."^ 

Let  us  then  keep  in  mind  that  our  sorrows  are 
sent  upon  us  in  loving-kindness,  and  never  forget 
that  they  are  intended  for  good.  God's  loving-kind- 
ness has  this  end  in  view,  and  works  only  this  result. 
The  long-continued  famine  tliat  came  in  the  time  of 
Jacob,  and  threatened  the  destruction  of  his  family, 
was  a  great  blessing  to  himself,  to  all  his  posterity, 
and  to  the  whole  world  as  well.  It  led  to  the  dis- 
1  Eev.  iii.  19. 


176  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

coveiy  of  liis  long-lost  and  lamented  Joseph ;  it  con- 
strained him  to  go  down  into  Egypt  to  sojourn  there, 
that  the  purposes  of  God  miglit  be  fulfilled,  in  the 
preservation  of  the  church;  it  saved  from  extinction 
the  chosen  race  from  which,  "  as  concerning  the  flesh 
Christ  came,  who  is  overall,  God  blessed  forever;"' 
and  so  the  tender  plant  that  blossomed  out  into  the 
great  salvation  was  not  blasted  in  the  bud ;  and  down 
to  the  present  day  we  are  enjoying  the  precious  fruits 
of  those  seven  years  in  Avhich  there  was  neither  ear- 
ing nor  harvest. 

And  now,  as  then,  and  evermore,  tliis  is  a  faithful 
saying,  all  our  sorrows  are  salutary  and  sanctifying. 
There  is  no  peradventure  about  it,  "we  know  that  all 
things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God."  ^ 
We  know  this  from  our  own  experience  as  well  as 
from  the  infallible  AVord.  "All  things  work  togethei* 
for  good."  Not  some  things,  but  "all  things":  seasons 
of  famine  as  well  as  fruitful  seasons;  painful  things  as 
well  as  pleasant;  the  cursing  no  less  than  tlie  bless- 
ing. We  may  not  be  able  al^va3^s  to  see  the  good 
in  the  evil,  because  "no  chastening  for  the  present 
seemeth  to  be  joyous,  but  grievous;  nevertheless, 
afterward  it  yieldeth  the  peaceable  fruit  of  right- 
eousness •  unto  them  Avhich  are  exercised  thereby."^ 
In  the  tear-watered  fields  of  darkness  and  sorrow, 
"  Light  is  sown  for  the  righteous,  and  gladness  for 
the  upright  in  heart."*  And  "they  that  sow  in  tears 
shall  reap  in  joy."  ^ 

1  Rom.  ix.  5.  2  Rom.  viii.  28.  3  Heb.  xii.  11. 

4  Ps.  xcvii.  11.         5  Ps.  cxxvi.  5. 


THE  SONG   OF  SORROWS.  I// 

It  often  comes  to  pass  that  the  loss  of  property 
makes  us  richer  toward  God.  We  love  the  world, 
and  as  riches  increase  we  set  our  hearts  upon  them. 
Perceiving  this,  our  heavenly  Father  gives  wings  to 
our  wealth,  and  it  flies  away.  So  He  weans  us  from 
the  Avorld,  and  makes  us  rich  in  the  enduring  sub- 
stance. Temporal  poverty  is  the  chosen  path,  by 
which  He  leads  many  of  His  people  to  great  spir- 
itual prosperity;  not  because  He  is  pleased  to  see  any 
of  His  saints  suffering,  for  want  of  the  comforts  and 
necessaries  of  life,  but  because  the  love  of  the  world 
is  so  strong  in  them  that  it  can  be  rooted  out  in  no 
other  way.  And  so  they  learn  that  "Sorrow  is  better 
than  laughter :  for  by  the  sadness  of  the  countenance 
the  heart  is  made  better."^ 

And  personal  sickness  is  often  a  greater  blessing 
than  perfect  health.  It  may  not  seem  so,  when  we 
are  suddenly  snatched  away  from  our  business  and 
our  pleasures,  and  prostrated  on  a  bed  of  languishing, 
and  "  wearisome  nights"  are  appointed  to  us;  but  yet 
there  is  no  place  where  the  graces  grow  so  fast  and 
shine  so  bright  as  in  the  sick-room.  The  burning 
fever,  the  tossing  to  and  fro,  and  the  frequent  weep- 
ing,— like  the  sunshine  and  the  showers  of  summer, 
— make  the  harvest  of  the  heart  to  ripen  quickly  into 
"the  beauties  of  holiness;"^  and  where  we  expect  to 
find  impatience,  fretfulness,  and  repining,  we  see  res- 
ignation, cheerfulness,  and  heavenly-mindedness  in 
their  perfection. 

It  is  an  interesting  fact  in  natural  history,  that  the 
'  Eccl.  vii.  3.  2  Ps.  ex.  3. 

12 


1/8  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

Cutting,  irritating  grain  of  sand,  which  sometimes 
passes  within  the  shell  of  the  oyster,  makes  the  living 
inmate  sick,  and  incites  him  to  secrete  from  his  own 
resources  the  means  of  coating  the  intrusive  sub- 
stance, to  render  its  presence  less  painful,  and  a  pearl 
is  the  result.  Bj  this  strange  process,  the  hurtful, 
worthless  grain  of  sand  becomes  pleasant  and  pre- 
cious. So  our  sicknesses,  when  rightly  improved,  be- 
come pearls  of  great  price.  And  looking  back  at  our 
broken  health,  and  remembering  Avhat  it  has  done  for 
us,  we  have  reason  to  say  with  the  Psalmist,  "It  is 
good  for  me  that  I  have  been  afflicted."^ 

Besides,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  our  sorrows  may 
result  in  good  to  others  as  well  as  to  ourselves.  We 
could  not  live  for  ourselves  only,  if  we  would;  and 
that  we  may  be  of  more  service  to  the  church  and 
the  Avorld,  Ave  have  another  baptism  than  that  of 
water,  and  another  ordination  than  that  of  the  laying 
on  of  hands:  we  are  baptized  with  "the  Avormwood 
and  the  gall;""  and  are  ordained  by  the  laying  on  of 
crosses.  AVithout  this  higher  and  holier  consecration 
in  the  fiery  furnace,  Ave  might  be  sons  of  thunder  to 
hard-hearted  sinners,  but  Ave  could  not  be  sons  of 
consolation  to  broken-hearted  saints;  and  striving  in 
vain  out  of  our  untried  hearts  to  speak  peace  to  those 
Avho  are  in  trouble,  they  might  be  tempted  to  turn 
upon  our  cold  platitudes,  saying,  Avith  something  of 
its  original  sharpness,  "I  have  heard  many  such 
things:  miserable  comforters  are  ye  all."" 

As  an  apt  illustration  of  this  thought  in  all  its 
1  Ps.  cxix.  71.  2  Lam.  iii.  19.  3  Job  xvi.  2. 


THE   SONG   OF  SORROWS.  1 79 

aspects,  we  would  point  you  to  the  chiefest  of  the 
apostles.  Saul  of  Tarsus  Avas  a  young  man  of  great 
learning  and  influence;  and  had  you  lived  in  his 
day,  and  seen  him  "breathing  out  threatenings  and 
slaughter  against  the  disciples  of  the  Lord,"  ^  you 
would  have  feared  for  the  fate  of  the  infant  church ; 
had  you  seen  him  arming  himself  Avith  authority 
from  the  chief  priests,  and  setting  out  for  Damascus, 
like  a  red-handed  robber,  to  take  and  torture  the 
saints  residing  there,  your  heart  would  have  "trem- 
bled for  the  ark  of  God."^  But  yet,  behold  how 
wonderfully  these  things  Avorked  together  for  good. 
Jesus  met  the  monster  by  the  way,  and  blinded  him 
that  he  might  see,  and  having  changed  his  heart.  He 
sent  him  on  another  mission;  and  so  the  prhice  of 
persecutors  became  the  prince  of  preachers,  and  only 
lived  to  glory  in  the  cross:  "  God  forbid  that  I  should 
glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."^ 

In  like  manner,  all  things,  Avhether  great  or  small, 
whether  good  or  bad,  are  ordained  of  God  and  over- 
ruled for  good  to  them  that  love  Him.  Of  the  many 
trials  that  He  sends  upon  us  here,  not  one  is  unprofit- 
able, not  one  is  unseasonable,  not  one  is  unbecoming: 
"He  hath  made  CA^ery  thing  beautiful  in  his  time."* 
There  is  a  burning  lamp  in  every  smoking  furnace;  a 
SAveet  cordial  in  every  bitter  cup;  and  our  deepest 
and  most  desperate  sorroAvs  may  rise  up  into  a  very 
jubilee  of  joy,  and  bring  the  greatest  revenue  of  glory 
unto  God. 

•  Acts  ix.  1.  2  I  Sam.  iv.  13. 

3  Gal.  vi.  14.  4  Eccl.  iii.  11. 


l80  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

On  the  Rhine,  in  Germany,  there  is  a  dingy  castle 
with  two  high  towers  rising  up  above  the  rest  of  the 
building.  The  old  baron,  who  owns  and  occupies  the 
fortress  as  his  home,  stretched  several  strong  wires 
from  one  tower  over  to  the  other,  constructing  what 
might  be  called  an  JEolian  harp.  In  pleasant  sum- 
mer weather,  the  ordinary  winds  produce  no  effect 
upon  this  instrument,  and  it  is  perfectly  silent.  But 
in  the  winter  season,  when  the  terrible  tornado  comes 
rushing  along,  breaking  the  trees  and  shaking  the 
mountains  with  its  trampling  thunder,  and  with  the 
fingers  of  its  fury  smites  those  silent  strings,  then, 
they  send  forth  the  grandest  strains  of  music  that  the 
ear  ever  heard. 

In  every  one  of  our  hearts  there  is  an  ^Eolian 
harp  which  was  made,  for  His  good  pleasure,  by 
the  "  Great  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,"  ^  who 
dwells  therein;  and  day  and  night,  without  ceasing, 
thanksgiving  and  the  voice  of  melody  should  rise  to 
Him  who  strung  the  wondrous  lyre.  But  yet,  for 
weeks  and  months,  and  sometimes  for  years,  we  are 
dumb.  The  soft  and  spicy  breezes  that  cheer  the 
homes  of  health  and  wealth,  and  the  sweet  and  gen- 
tle zephyrs  that  gladden  the  hours  of  peace  and  pros- 
perity, make  no  impression  on  our  hearts  and  minds, 
and  fail  to  wake  any  music  within  us  "to  the  praise 
of  the  glory  of  His  grace."  ^  But  when  adversity 
comes  at  the  command  of  God,  or  disappointment, 
or  bereavement,  or  all  of  them  together,  like  a  rush- 
ing, mighty  tempest,  and  all  our  hopes  are  blasted 
1  Tit.  ii.  13.  2  Eph.  i.  6. 


THE  SONG   OF  SORROWS.  l8l 

all  at  once, — then,  "the  stormy  wind  fulfilling  His 
Avord,"^  sweeps  sighing  throngh  the  soul,  and  straight- 
way there  rises  up  to  heaven,  in  a  hurricane  of  praise, 
this  song  of  sorrows,  which  is  sweeter  than  any  that 
the  angels  sing:  "Although  the  fig-tree  shall  not  blos- 
som, neither  shall  fruit  be  in  the  vines;  the  labor  of 
the  olive  shall  fail,  and  the  fields  shall  yield  no  meat; 
the  flock  shall  be  cut  ofi"  from  the  fold,  and  there  shall 
be  no  herd  in  the  stalls:  yet  I  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord, 
I  will  joy  in  the  God  of  my  salvation." 

As  "all  the  rivers  run  into  the  sea,"'^  so  all  our 
remarks  run  into  this  benediction,  "  Blessed  are  they 
that  mourn."'  Dearly  beloved,  fellow-sinners  and  fel- 
low-sufferers, no  matter  what  your  outward  circum- 
stances may  be,  it  is  your  duty  and  your  privilege 
to  be  happy.  Your  brightest  hopes  may  be  blasted, 
your  fondest  expectations  cut  off,  and  there  may  be 
to  you  a  total  failure  of  every  earthly  comfort;  but 
in  the  time  of  famine,  you  shall  have  better  meat  to 
eat  than  those  whose  "eyes  stand  out  with  fatness;"* 
and  you  shall  learn  that  the  harp  of  the  human  heart 
yields  its  sweetest  music  when  it  is  broken.  "  Is  not 
the  gleaning  of  the  grapes  of  Ephraim  better  than  the 
vintage  of  Abiezer  ?  "  ^ 

A  converted  Brahmin  at  his  baptism  lost  his  houses, 
his  lands,  his  wells,  his  wife  and  his  children.  To  a 
sympathizing  friend,  who  asked  him  how  he  bore 
his  sorrows,  and  if  he  was  supported  under  them, 
he  answered,  saying,  "I  am  often  asked  that,  but  I 

1  Ps.  cxWiii,  8.  2  Eccl.  i.  7.  3  Mat.  v.  4. 

4  Ps.  Ixxiii.  7.  5  Judges  viii.  2. 


1 82  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES, 

am  never  asked  how  I  bear  my  joys ;  for  I  have  joys 
within  me  which  are  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory. 
The  Lord  Jesus  sought  me  out  and  found  me,  a  poor 
stray  sheep  in  the  jungles;  He  brought  me  to  His  fold, 
and  He  will  never  leave  me." 

This  same  lofty  plane  in  Christian  experience  may 
be  attained  by  you.  The  ladder  Jacob  saw  reached 
above  the  winds  and  clouds,  and  with  the  hands  and 
feet  of  faith  and  hope,  you  may  climb  beyond  them 
now,  and  be  happy  henceforth  and  forever.  Your 
property  may  pass  from  your  possession  to  pay  your 
debts,  as  far  as  it  will  go,  and  you  may  be  poor; 
your  father  and  mother  may  forsake  you;  and  your 
brothers  and  sisters  may  disown  you — but  there  is  a 
brother  "born  for  adversity";^  "there  is  a  friend  that 
sticketh  closer  than  a  brother."^  His  name  is  Jesus; 
and  in  Him  and  with  Him,  you  may  have' the  best 
of  the  wealth  of  heaven  before  you  get  there:  "As 
sorrowful,  yet  always  rejoicing;  as  poor,  yet  making 
many  rich ;  as  having  nothing,  and  yet  possessing  all 
things."^ 

Your  first-born — yes,  and  your  last-born — may  be 
dead  and  buried.  With  rivers  of  Avaters  running 
down  your  eyes  you  watched  beside  his  dying  bed; 
with  a  trembling  hand  you  parted  the  hair  on  his 
noble  forehead,  and  wiped  the  death-dews  from  his 
beautiful  face,  and  in  your  arms  of  love  he  fell  on  sleep. 
He  was  the  dearest  idol  of  your  heart,  and  with  grief 
too  great  for  tears,  you  saw  him  shrouded,  you  saw 
him  coffined,  you  saw  him  sepulchred.  Yes,  he  is 
•  Prov.  xvii.  17.         2  Prov.  xviii.  24.        3  11  Cor.  vi.  10. 


THE   SONG   OF  SORROWS.  1 83 

gone.  You  know  that  he  is  gone;  you  see  his  va- 
cant chamber  and  his  empty  chair;  yet  not  unfre- 
quently  you  find  yourself  speaking  softly,  and  step- 
ping lightly,  as  if  afraid  to  aAvake  him  out  of  sleep. 
And  your  sorrow  may  seem  peculiar,  like  unto  which 
there  is  no  sorrow;  but  you  should  not  sorrow  so, 
"even  as  others  which  have  no  hope."^  Nay,  rather, 
you  should  count  it  all  joy,  and  glory  in  your  great 
tribulation.  Jesus  wanted  another  jewel  for  His 
"crown  of  rejoicing,"^  and  He  took  your  son.  Jesus 
wanted  another  hand  to  handle  another  heavenly 
harp,  and  He  took  your  only  son.  Jesus  Avanted  a 
new  voice  to  aid  the  new  song,  and  He  took  your 
one  only  son.  And  just  because  Jesus  took  him  you 
ought  to  rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad.  For  verily 
I  say  unto  you,  there  are  fewer  blessings  that  call 
for  louder  songs  of  praise  than  a  son  safe  in  heaven. 
"While  the  child  Avas  yet  alive,  I  fasted  and  wept: 
for  I  said.  Who  can  tell  whether  God  will  be  gracious 
to  me,  that  the  child  may  live  ?  But  now  he  is  dead, 
wherefore  should  I  fast?  can  I  bring  him  back  again? 
I  shall  go  to  him,  but  he  shall  not  return  to  me."^ 

"Hear,  0  Lord,  and  have  mercy  upon  me;  Lord,  be 
thou  my  helper.  Thou  hast  turned  for  me  my  mourn- 
ing into  dancing;  thou  hast  put  off  my  sackcloth,  and 
girded  me  Avith  gladness,  to  the  end  that  my  glory 
may  sing  praise  to  thee,  and  not  be  silent.  0  Lord 
my  God,  I  Avill  give  thanks  unto  thee  forever."* 

1  I  Thess.  iv.  13.  2  I  Thess.  ii.  19. 

3  n  Sam.  xii.  22,  23.  ^  pg.  xxx.  10-12. 


1 84  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

Jesus,  ^Iaster:  with  seasons  of  famine  and  fruitful 
seasons,  with  judgments  and  mercies,  with  tears  and 
smiles,  with  sighs  of  grief,  and  songs  of  gladness,  thou 
art  w^eaving  our  web  of  life ;  and  always  and  every- 
where, the  darkness  and  the  drops  of  the  night  are 
lustred  with  thy  love.  We  bless  thy  dearest  hands 
for  all  their  guiding,  and  thy  dearest  heart  for  all 
its  planning.  But  most  of  all,  we  bless^  thee,  for  the 
blasts  and  blows  and  burnings  of  thy  brotherly  kind- 
ness, by  which  we  have  been,  in  some  measure,  sep- 
arated and  set  free  from  sin,  and  made  partakers  of 
thine  own  holiness.  Let  it  please  thee  to  continue  to 
work  in  us  and  for  us,  according  to  the  good  pleasure 
of  thy  sweet  will;  and  help  us,  by  the  strength  and 
beauty  of  thy  grace,  to  rise  above  submission  and 
resignation,  into  the  heavenly  places  of  perfect  peace 
and  perfect  love;  where  we  can  glory  in  tribulation 
and  rejoice  evermore.  And  when  thou  hast  done 
serving  thyself  with  us,  in  this  land  of  sundown 
and  the  shadow  of  death,  take  us  up  to  that  bright 
world,  where  the  sun  shall  no  more  go  down,  and 
there  shall  be  no  more  death.  And  not  unto  us,  but 
unto  Him  who  is  able  to  keep  us  from  falling,  and  to 
present  us  faultless  before  the  presence  of  His  glory 
with  exceeding  joy,  to  the  only  wise  God  our  Saviour, 
be  glory  and  majesty,  dominion  and  power,  both  now 
and  ever. 


THE    BEAUTIFUL    CLOUDS. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

"And  now  men  see  not  the  bright  light  which  is  in  the  clouds:  but 
the  zoind  passeth  and  cleanseth  them.  Fair  weather  comet h  out  of  the 
north.^^ — ^JOB  xxxvii.  21,  22. 

THERE  is  a  remarkable  analogy  between  natural 
and  spiritual  things,  which  the  most  casual  ob- 
server must  have  noticed.  We  are  the  children  of  a 
changing  world,  and  all  that  the  heavens  and  the 
earth  express  to  the  eye  and  ear  corresponds  to  some- 
thing in  the  mind.  The  sublime  psalmody  of  external 
things;  the  deep-toned  thunder  storm;  the  moaning 
of  the  melancholy  sea;  the  sighing  of  the  winds  in 
the  pine-tree  tops;  the  murmuring  of  water  brooks; 
and  the  sweet  music  of  birds, — are  all  in  harmony 
with  the  harp  of  the  human  heart.  And  the  face 
of  the  sky  is  frequently  the  most  faithful  representa- 
tion of  the  feelings  of  the  soul.  The  day  and  night, 
summer  and  winter,  seed-time  and  harvest,  all  have 
their  counterpart  in  Christian  experience. 

When  her  beloved  was  far  aAvay  beyond  the  moun- 
tains of  Bether,  the  bride  was  lonely  and  sad,  and 
"sick  of  love";^  her  house  was  left  desolate,  and  her 
garden  had  lost  all  its  beauty:  it  was  winter  with- 
out, and  it  was  winter  within.  But  when  he  came 
again,  "leaping  upon  the  mountains,  skipping  upon 

1  Cant.  ii.  5. 


1 88  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

the  liills,"  ^  lo,  the  winter  was  past,  the  rain  was  over 
and  gone,  the  flowers  appeared  on  the  earth,  and  the 
time  of  the  singing  of  birds  was  come.  So  when  our 
heavenly  Bridegroom  withdraws  Himself  from  us,  it 
is  winter  within,  though  it  may  be  summer  without; 
— it  is  an  Arctic  winter,  and  its  long,  dark  night  is 
more  distressing  than  its  piercing  cold.  But  when 
Jesus  returns,  both  are  speedily  dispelled.  The  rising 
"Sun  of  righteousness"^  drives  away  the  darkness, 
and  thaws  the  frozen  garden  of  the  heart,  wdiile  the 
soft,  south  wind  wakes  to  fan  its  opening  flowers,  till 
the  spices  thereof  flow  forth,  with  all  the  sweetness 
of  a  joyous  spring. 

You  will  observe,  at  once,  the  connection  between 
these  preliminary  remarks  and  the  text:  "Now  men 
see  not  the  bright  light  which  is  in  the  clouds:  but 
the  wind  passeth  and  cleanseth  them."  As  in  the 
natural  sky  we  sometimes  notice  dark  clouds,  beauti- 
fully tinted  with  the  bright  light  that  shines  in  and 
around  them,  so  the  clouds  which  come  in  the  sky  of 
the  soul  are  lined  with  the  light  of  heavenly  love,  and 
fringed  with  rays  from  the  excellent  glory.  In  other 
words,  our  afflictions  are  always  accompanied  with 
certain  alleviating  circumstances,  by  which  they  are 
not  only  mitigated,  but  rendered  positively  attractive. 

In  the  revolution  of  the  earth  around  the  sun,  there 
are  two  opposing  forces  which  prevail  against  each 
other — if  I  may  speak  so — to  keep  it  in  its  appointed 
path:  the  one  acting  alone  would  draw  the  earth 
into  the  sun,  and  burn  it  up  before  the  time;  the 
1  Cant.  ii.  8.  2  Mai.  iv.  2. 


THE  BEAUTIFUL   CLOUDS.  1 89 

other  acting  alone  would  drive  it  away,  we  know  not 
whither,  and  it  would  become  a  wandering  star.  So 
both  forces  are  essentially  necessary  in  order  to  keep 
the  earth  in  its  own  orbit;  and  they  are  so  nicely 
balanced  in  the  scales  of  Him  "who  hangeth  the 
earth  upon  nothing,"'  that  it  never  deviates  a  hair's 
breadth  from  its  appointed  path  in  the  heavens,  bring- 
ing every  year  the  pleasant  succession  of  the  seasons. 
And  that  one  side  of  the  earth  might  not  be  always 
exposed  to  the  sun,  and  the  other  side  always  de- 
prived of  his  beams, — both  of  which  would  be  equally 
bad, — the  all-wise  Creator  has  given  another  motion 
to  the  earth,  by  which  it  turns  completely  round  on 
its  axis  every  twenty-four  hours;  so  dividing  the  light 
from  the  darkness,  making  the  day  and  the  night, 
which  are  not  only  useful  in  their  alternations,  but 
indispensable  to  the  well-being  of  the  world  and  they 
that  dwell  therein. 

By  a  similar  process  of  changes  and  counter-changes 
in  the  moral  world,  our  heavenly  Father  preserves  the 
even  tenor  of  our  lives.  And,  without  controversy, 
compensations  are  the  rule  of  His  gracious  provi- 
dence. Over  against  prosperity  He  has  set  adver- 
sity, to  keep  us  in  His  own  right  way;  and  after 
every  night  of  weeping  there  is  a  morning  of  joy: 
along-side  of  "great  tribulation"  He  places  "strong 
consolation";  our  crosses  are  balanced  by  as  many 
comforts,  and  every  judgment  has  its  corresponding 
mercy.  When  God  smites  with  one  hand.  He  up- 
holds with  the  other;  when  one  door  shuts,  He  opens 
I  Job  xxvi.  7. 


1 90  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

another  ;  and  Avhen  one  friend  fails,  He  raises  up 
another.  The  same  day  that  Faithful  was  burned 
to  ashes  at  the  stake,  in  Vanity  Fair,  Hopeful  joined 
himself  to  Christian;  and  Hopeful  was  better  than 
Faithful. 

In  the  wilderness  the  Israelites  were  supplied  with 
"the  corn  of  heaven,"  and  "did  eat  angels'  food."^ 
After  the  slaughter  of  a  thousand  Philistines,  when 
Samson  was  like  to  die  for  thirst,  he  was  revived  by 
drinking  of  a  well  of  water  springing  from  a  dry 
place.''  When  Jonathan  was  faint  and  weary,  he 
was  refreshed  and  enlightened  by  tasting  of  the 
honeycomb  which  he  found  in  the  woods.  ^  When 
there  was  given  unto  Paul  the  thorn  in  the  flesh, 
and  the  messenger  of  Satan  came  to  buffet  him,  the 
grace  of  Christ  was  equal  to  the  great  emergency. 

So  opportunely  have  all  the  saints  found  bread  and 
water  and  honey  and  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need. 
The  wilderness  privileges  are  set  over  against  the 
wilderness  privations,  making  the  desert  blossom  as 
the  rose,  and  more  to  be  desired  than  the  wealthy 
place:  "Behold,  I  will  allure  her,  and  bring  her  into 
the  wilderness,  and  speak  comfortably  unto  her.  And 
I  will  give  her  her  vineyards  from  thence,  and  the 
valley  of  Achor  for  a  door  of  hope:  and  she  shall 
sing  there,  as  in  the  days  of  her  youth,  and  as  in 
the  days  when  she  came  up  out  of  the  land  of 
Egypt.'*'* 

In  places  where  we  least  expected,  and  at  times 

1  Ps.  Ixxviii.  25.  2  Judges  xv.  19. 

3  I  Sam.  xiv.  27.  <  Hos.  ii.  14,  15. 


THE  BEAUTIFUL   CLOUDS.  191 

when  we  looked  not  for  them,  how  often  have  wells 
of  heavenly  consolation  burst  forth  beside  the  path 
of  our  pilgrimage!  When  all  "the  upper  springs  and 
the  nether  springs "  ^  were  dry  as  summer  dust,  and 
we  were  going  in  vain  to  the  broken  cisterns  of 
human  sympathy,  how  often  has  our  wayfaring  God 
pointed  us  to  "  a  spring  shut  up,  a  fountain  sealed."  ^ 

Such  remarkable  coincidences  may  seem,  to  some, 
like  the  effect  of  chance ;  but  they  are  what  the  Bible 
student  would  call  predestination,  and  were  foreor- 
dained for  our  special  comfort.  By  their  timely  com- 
ing and  blessed  influence,  they  not  only  soften  our 
sorrows,  but  make  them  splendid  and  sublime;  and  in 
a  little  while  we  learn  to  love  them ;  and  not  only  so, 
but  we  glory  in  them.  What  appeared  only  evil  is 
actually  good ;  and  the  cloud  in  which  there  seemed 
to  be  no  comeliness  at  all,  now  shines  with  "  the  per- 
fection of  beauty." 

There  is  a  bright  light  in  every  black  cloud  which 
our  heavenly  Father  is  pleased  to  weave  in  the  ever- 
changing  canopy  of  His  beloved  and  believing  chil- 
dren. There  was  a  blessing  in  the  curse  pronounced 
on  our  first  parents  and  their  posterity.  That  which 
was  only  a  pleasant  occupation,  in  the  state  of  inno- 
cence, has  become  a  burden  scarcely  to  be  borne. 
Instead  of  keeping  and  dressing  the  garden  of  Eden, 
which  spontaneously  yielded  all  the  necessaries  and 
luxuries  of  life,  we  are  sent  out  into  a  world  blasted 
with  barrenness,  and  doomed  to  eat  our  bread  in 
sorrow. 

1  Judges  i.  15.  2  Cant.  iv.  12. 


192  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

But  in  those  drops  of  sweat  that  burst  upon  our 
brow  there  is  more  of  good  than  evil,  and  inore  of 
joy  than  sorrow.  Eest  and  recreation  owe  all  their 
deliciousness  to  exercise  and  employment.  There  is 
health  and  happiness  and  holiness  in  hard  work. 
Manual  labor  is  the  best  school  for  the  development 
of  the  body,  and  the  discipline  of  the  mind;  it  is 
a  sanctuary  also  for  the  sanctification  of  the  soul. 
Every  blow  of  the  axe  and  the  hammer  and  the  iron 
tools  contributes  something  to  the  perfection  of  our 
nature ;  and  true  wisdom  will  bless  the  Lord  for  the 
stern  ministry  of  the  thorns  and  thistles, — those  task 
masters  Avhich  He  hath  set  over  ns  in  the  world.  In 
the  sweat  of  thy  face,  "  Behold  therefore  the  goodness 
and  severity  of  God."^ 

The  order  of  the  king  of  Egypt,  exterminating  all 
the  male  children  of  the  Hebrews,  Avas  a  very  dreadful 
thing;  and  the  day  that  it  was  issued  was  a  dark  day 
in  Goshen.  At  first  it  seemed  to  be  a  cloud  without 
any  brightness  at  all;  no  silver  lining  lighted  up  its 
earthward  side,  nor  golden  fringe  hmig  down  from 
the  hem  of  its  garment.  But  in  a  little  while  there 
came  a  sunburst  through  it,  and,  in  due  season,  the 
light  of  God's  countenance  changed  all  its  gloom  into 
glory.  In  that  bloody  edict  the  blessed  exodus  was 
planted.  It  set  in  motion  a  train  of  special  provi- 
dences by  which  "INIoses  my  servant"  Avas  preserved 
alive,  contrary  to  the  king's  commandment;  and  in 
Pharaoh's  palace  the  "proper  child "^  was  nurtured, 
who,  when  he  became  a  man,  was  mainly  instru- 
1  Rom.  si.  22.  2  Heb.  xi.  23. 


THE  BEAUTIFUL   CLOUDS.  1 93 

mental  in  the  deliverance  of  Israel:  and  under  a 
bright  cloud  they  went  np  out  of  their  house  of 
bondage. 

The  early  death  of  Stephen  Avas  a  great  calamity, 
and  seemed  to  be  only  evil  in  its  consequences.  He 
was  a  young  man  of  much  promise;  the  field  of 
usefulness  Avas  widening  before  him,  and  the  infant 
church  could  scarcely  spare  him.  But  his  martyrdom 
was  the  mother  of  a  wonderful  blessing  to  the  Avorld. 
It  was  a  ray  of  beautifid  light,  beaming  from  his 
angel-like  face,  that  carried  conviction  to  the  dark- 
ened mind  of  Paul,  who  "was  consenting  unto  his 
death,"  ^  and  guarding  the  garments  of  his  murderers. 
After  that  great  sight,  the  proud  young  Pharisee  found 
no  peace  till  he  went  and  washed  his  guilty  hands  in 
the  blood  of  Jesus,  and  so  the  prince  of  persecutors 
became  the  prince  of  preachers. 

The  crucifixion  of  Christ  was,  without  doubt,  the 
greatest  crime  that  was  ever  committed;  the  darkest 
deed  that  this  world  ever  witnessed.  The  murder  of 
Jesus  was  worse  than  homicide,  for  He  Avas  more 
than  man;  it  was  worse  than  fratricide,  for  He  Avas 
better  than  brother;  it  Avas  worse  than  parricide,  for 
He  Avas  more  than  father.  A  ncAv  Avord  had  to  be 
coined  to  express  the  act,  and  it  is  properly  called 
deicide,  because  the  man  Christ  Jesus  AA^as  "The 
mighty  God,  The  everlasting  Father,  The  Prince  of 
peace."-  Yes,  I  speak  considerately,  and  according  to 
the  Scriptures,  Avhen  I  say  that  a  Divine  Person  suf- 
fered on  the  cross:  "In  whom  Ave  have  redemption 
'  Acts  viii.  1.  2  Isa.  ix.  6. 


194  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

through  His  blood,  even  the  forgiveness  of  sins;  who 
is  the  image  of  the  invisible  God."^  Is  it  any  wonder 
tlien,  that  the  sun  went  down  over  Calvary,  when  it 
was  yet  day,  and  that  there  was  darkness  throughout 
all  the  land  from  the  sixth  until  the  ninth  hour? 
Nay,  the  wonder  rather  is,  that  the  sun  ever  rose 
again  after  "the  Lord  of  glory "^  died:  "For  by  Him 
were  all  things  created."^  But  yet,  in  that  greatest 
of  all  crimes  there  was  the  sweetest  of  all  comforts; 
and  out  of  that  blackest  darkness  that  ever  gathered 
over  the  earth,  there  dawned  the  brightest  light  of 
heaven ;  there  was  life  in  that  death,  even  the  life  of 
the  world;  and  the  love  of  God  never  burst  forth  so 
gloriously,  as  when  the  bitter  tree  of  the  cross  budded 
and  blossomed  into  the  great  salvation :  "  Where  sin 
abounded,  grace  did  much  more  abound."* 

The  silver  linings  are  not  always  manifest  in  the 
clouds  of  life ;  and  it  is  not  strange  that  some  people 
can  not  see  them,  "because  they  are  spiritually  dis- 
cerned."^ During  that  dark  and  doleful  night,  when 
the  stormy  sea  was  before  the  flying  Hebrews,  and 
their  enemies  were  behind  them,  breathing  out  cruelty 
and  slaughter  against  them,  and  there  seemed  to  be 
no  escape  from  sudden  destruction,  "  the  pillar  of  the 
cloud  went  from  before  their  face,  and  stood  behind 
them:  and  it  came  between  the  camp  of  the  Egyp- 
tians and  the  camp  of  Israel:  and  it  Avas  a  cloud 
and  darkness  to  them,  but  it  gave  light  by  night 
to   these."'     So   the   same   dark  divine   dispensation 

1  Col.  i.  14,  15.        2  I  Cor.  ii.  8.  3  Col.  i.  16. 

4  Kom.  V.  20.  &  I  Cor.  ii.  14.  e  Exod.  xiv.  19,  20. 


THE  BEAUTIFUL   CLOUDS.  1 95 

whicli  is  all  brightness  to  the  eye  of  the  believer,  is 
blackness  of  darkness  to  the  unbeliever;  though  the 
difference  is  not  so  much  in  the  cloud  as  in  the 
spectator. 

But  even  the  best  of  Christians,  who  are  on  the 
bright  side  of  the  cloud,  are  not  always  blest  with 
such  clear  seeing  as  to  discern  the  good  in  the  evil : 
"NoAv  men  see  not  the  bright  light  which  is  in  the 
clouds."  The  alleviating  circumstance  accompanies 
their  affliction,  but  they  do  not  perceive  it.  It  was 
a  day  of  desperate  sorrow,  the  light  of  which  was 
darkness  itself,  when  Hagar  was  sent  away  from 
Abraham's  home.  The  thing  seemed  so  cruel  to  "the 
friend  of  God,"'  that  he  never  would  have  thought 
of  it,  but  for  Sarah;  nor  could  she  have  persuaded 
him  to  put  the  bondwoman  away,  had  he  not  received 
a  message  direct  from  heaven  concerning  the  matter. 
"And  Abraham  rose  up  early  in  the  morning,  and 
took  bread,  and  a  bottle  of  water,  and  gave  it  unto 
Hagar,  putting  it  on  her  shoulder,  and  the  child,  and 
sent  her  away:  and  she  departed,  and  wandered  in 
the  wilderness  of  Beer-sheba."^ 

But  the  wilderness  without  Avas  a  perfect  paradise 
in  comparison  of  the  Avilderness  within.  And  in  a 
little  while,  when  the  bread  was  all  eaten,  and  "  the 
water  was  spent  in  the  bottle,"  she  cast  the  lad  under 
one  of  the  shrubs,  and  went  away  about  a  bow-shot, 
that  she  might  not  see  the  last  struggle.  Just  then 
and  there,  in  that  wilderness,  and  in  the  moment  of 
extremest  anguish,  when  she  was  sitting  down  and 
>  James  ii.  23.  2  Qen,  xxi.  14. 


ig6  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

weeping  under  the  shadow  of  death, — the  darkness 
of  which  was  doubled, — -just  then  and  there,  "God 
opened  her  eyes,  and  she  saw  a  well  of  water."  ^ 
That  well  was  there  before,  but  she  could  not  see 
it  till  her  eyes  were  opened. 

When  the  children  of  Israel  came  to  jNIarah,  they 
were  greatly  disappointed,  and  murmured  exceed- 
ingly. They  had  been  already  "three  days  in  the 
wilderness  and  found  no  water."  And  now,  after  so 
long  a  time,  when  a  spring  was  discovered  its  waters 
were  bitter,  and  they  could  not  drink  them.  But  in 
that  great  emergency — as  in  many  sore  trials — Moses 
went  to  the  mercy-seat:  "And  he  cried  unto  the 
Lord ;  and  the  Lord  showed  him  a  tree,  which  when 
he  had  cast  into  the  waters,  the  waters  were  made 
sweet."  ^  That  healing  tree  was  there  before ;  it  grew 
in  that  vicinity,  and  perhaps  so  near  by,  that  its 
branches  shaded  the  bitter  spring;  but  its  properties 
were  not  known,  and  were  only  revealed  to  Moses  in 
answer  to  prayer:  "the  Lord  showed  him  a  tree." 

When  the  prophet's  servant  rose  early  one  morn- 
ing, he  made  the  sorrowful  discovery,  that  the  city  of 
Dothan — where  they  sojourned — was  invested  with 
"horses  and  chariots,  and  a  great  host," ^  which  the 
king  of  Syria  had  sent  there  by  night  to  arrest  Elisha. 
And  returning  quickly,  the  leal-hearted  servant  said, 
with  manifest  apprehension,  "Alas,  my  master!  how 
shall  Ave  do?  And  he  answered,  Fear  not:  for  they 
that  be  with  us  are  more  than  they  that  be  with 
them.  And  Elisha  prayed,  and  said.  Lord  I  pray 
I  Gen.  xxi.  19.         2  Exod.  xv.  25.  3  n  Kings  vi.  14. 


THE  BEAUTIFUL   CLOUDS.  1 97 

thee,  open  his  eyes,  that  he  may  see.  Arid  the  Lord 
opened  the  eyes  of  the  young  man ;  and  he  saw :  and, 
behold,  the  mountain  was  full  of  horses  and  chariots 
of  fire  round  about  Elisha."^  Tlie  horses  and  chariots 
of  heaven  were  there  before,  they  were  always  there, 
but  the  servant  could  not  see  them  till  his  eyes  Avere 
opened. 

As  Cleophas  and  his  companion  "  went  into  the 
country,"^  shortly  after  the  crucifixion,  a  seeming 
stranger  joined  their  company,  and  journeyed  Avith 
them,  as  they  walked  and  were  sad.  And  entering 
into  conversation  with  them  concerning  their  sorrow, 
He  took  it  all  away  and  gave  them  good  cheer ;  they 
remembered  it  afterwards:  "Did  not  our  heart  burn 
within  us  while  He  talked  with  us  by  the  way?" 
Their  pleasant  travelling  companion  was  none  other 
than  Jesus  Himself;  "But  their  eyes  were  liolden  that 
they  should  not  know  Him."^  When  they  reached 
Emmaus,  "  He  made  as  though  He  would  have  gone 
further ; "  but  they  constrained  Him  to  abide  with 
them.  He  had  entertained  them  so  much  along  the 
road  that  they  could  not  bear  to  part  with  Him; 
besides,  it  was  "toward  evening,"  and  the  day  was 
far  spent.  "  And  He  went  in  to  tarry  with  them. 
And  it  came  to  pass,  as  He  sat  at  meat  with  them, 
He  took  bread,  and  blessed  it,  and  brake,  and  gave 
to  them.  And  their  eyes  were  opened  and  they  knew 
Him."^ 

Though  there  are  times  when  Ave  can  not  discern 

1  II  Kings  vi.  15-17.  2  Mark  xvi.  12. 

3  Luke  xxiv.  16.  -*  Luke  xxiv.  29-31. 


198  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

the  brightness  which  is  in  the  clouds,  that  gather  in 
the  firmament  of  the  soul,  they  are  not  of  long  con- 
tinuance. In  due  season,  the  brightest  sunshine  of 
the  Saviour  s  best  love  will  break  through  the  thick- 
est blackness,  and  we  shall  be  satisfied  with  seeing : 
"  Now  men  see  not  the  bright  light  which  is  in  the 
clouds:  but  the  wind  passeth  and  cleanseth  them. 
Fair  weather  cometh  out  of  the  north."  It  is  the 
keen,  cold  wind,  blowing  from  the  regions  of  ever- 
lasting snow,  by  which  the  clouds  are  cleared,  and  the 
sky  is  made  to  shine  like  "gold."^ 

So  one  severe  affliction  is  often  alleviated  by  an- 
other; one  blow  is  softened  down  by  another  blow. 
The  loss  of  property  is  mitigated  by  the  loss  of  health. 
In  taking  thought  for  ourselves,  we  almost  forget 
the  filthy  lucre  which  slipped  away,  like  quicksilver 
through  our  fingers.  The  death  of  one  beloved  mem- 
ber of  the  family  becomes  less  crushing  in  its  pres- 
sure when  another  is  prostrated  by  the  same  dreadful 
disease;  and  the  "mother  in  Israel,"^  who,  like  Ea- 
chel,  refuses  to  be  comforted  for  the  loss  of  her  chil- 
dren, is  sometimes  Aveaned  from  her  grief  by  the 
alarming  illness  of  her  husband.  Such  is  the  way 
in  which  a  kind  Providence,  through  anxiety,  with- 
draws the  heart  from  anguish,  till  the  same  hand  that 
bruised  the  reed  shall  gently  bind  it  up  again. 

But  a  change  in  the  weather  within  is  more  indis- 
pensable to  clear  seeing  than  a  change  in  the  weather 
without.  As  we  have  already  intimated,  the  bright- 
ness is  always  in  the  cloud,  and  if  we  do  not  see  it 
J  Job  xxxviL  22  (marginal  reading).  2  Judges  v.  7. 


THE  BEAUTIFUL   CLOUDS.  1 99 

the  fault  is  in  ourselves.  AVe  may  be  on  the  wrong 
side  of  the  cloncl,  like  the  Egyptians ;  or  we  may  be  on 
the  right  side  of  it,  and  not  looking  at  it  in  the  right 
way:  "For  now  we  see  through  a  glass  darkly."^ 
But  as  the  illuminating  Spirit  pours  light  into  our 
benighted  minds,  this  dark  medium  becomes  clearer; 
and  not  unfrequently  those  things  which  we  thought 
would  obstruct  our  vision  are  sent  of  very  purpose  to 
aid  it.  We  are  tempted  to  complain,  at  times,  that 
our  eyes  are  blinded  with  unbidden  tears.  Bat  tears 
are  never  unbidden;  for  the  kind  and  mighty  Jesus, 
who  keeps  a  bottle  for  them,  always  bids  them  flow. 
Neither  are  they  bhnding  in  their  influence ;  but,  con- 
trariwise, they  are  the  holy  water  of  heaven,  with 
which  He  washes  our  eyes  that  we  may  see  better. 
He  often  makes  a  telescope  of  them  that  we  may  see 
further;  for  tears  are  lenses  of  the  greatest  magnify- 
ing power  when  looking  upward,  and  greatly  aid  our 
feeble  faith  in  "seeing  Him  who  is  invisible."^  How 
strange  it  is,  that  Christians  should  be  afraid  of  afflic- 
tions, and  that  they  should  begin  to  despond  as  soon 
as  the  skies  begin  to  darken  round  them,  as  if  some 
great  calamity  was  coming  to  crush  them. 

"Ye  fearful  saints,  fresh  courage  take: 
The  clouds  ye  so  much  dread 
Are  big  with  mercy,  and  shall  break 
In  blessings  on  your  head." 

While  the  clouds  are  only  black  and  breaking  with 
storms  of  sorrow,  it  is  hard  to  believe  that  there  is 
1  I  Cor.  xiii.  12.  2  Heb.  xi.  27. 


200  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

any  brightness  or  beauty  in  them;  but,  like  many 
other  things,  they  are  better  than  they  seem.  We 
liave  learned  by  experience  that  the  thorniest  judg- 
ments blossom  into  the  sweetest  mercies.  Thus  saith 
the  Lord  to  His  anointed,  "  I  Avill  give  thee  the  treas- 
ures of  darkness."^  Since  the  Master  Avas  "a  man  of 
sorrows,"  sorrow  is  sanctified  and  glorified  beyond 
all  telling. 

Yes,  in  spite  of  her  black  visage,  languid  ej-es,  and 
dark  mantle,  sorrow  is  a  beautiful  princess,  and  walks 
abroad  the  queen  of  hearts. — I  had  almost  said  the 
queen  of  heaven,  because  she  comes  from  heaven  to 
make  us  meet  for  heaven.  There  is  a  divine  beauty 
in  every  feature  of  her  face;  and  a  divine  blessing  in 
every  blow  of  her  hand.  She  wounds  to  heal,  casts 
us  down  to  lift  us  higher  up,  and  kills  us  to  make  us 
alive  again;  and  Avhen  she  brings  us  to  our  Gethsem- 
ane,  the  strengthening  angel  will  be  sure  to  follow, 
and  that  right  speedily.  Blessed  be  God  for  the  grasp 
of  every  grief  in  Avhich  the  men  of  grace  have  found 
glory  begun  below.  "Ascribe  ye  strength  unto  God; 
His  excellency  is  over  Israel,  and  His  strength  is  in 
the  clouds."  ^ 

"  Now  no  chastening  for  the  present  seemeth  to  be 
joyous,  but  grievous :  nevertheless  afterward  it  yield- 
eth  the  peaceable  fruit  of  righteousness  unto  them 
Avhich  are  exercised  thereby."^  The  word  "seemeth" 
in  this  scripture  is  well  chosen,  because  afilictions  may 
be  joyous  when  they  seem  not  so ;  and  their  peaceable 
fruits  might  be  gathered  much  sooner  than  they  often 
>  Isa.  xlv.  3.  2  Ps.  Ixviii.  34.  ^  Heb.  xii.  11. 


THE  BEAUTIFUL   CLOUDS.  201 

are.  In  GocVs  husbandry  "  the  ploughman  shall  over- 
take the  reaper,  and  the  treader  of  grapes  him  that 
soweth  seed."  ^  Grief  grows  so  quickly  into  grace 
and  glory,  that  the  weeping  sower  and  the  rejoic- 
ing reaper  may  go  forth  together ;  and  the  same  day 
shall  be  the  seed-time  and  the  harvest  of  the  heart: 
"  He  that  goeth  forth  and  weepeth,  bearing  precious 
seed,  shall  doubtless  come  again  Avith  rejoicing,  bring- 
ing his  sheaves  with  him." "' 

When  rightly  viewed,  the  thick  clouds  of  the  sky 
are  very  beautiful ;  and  the  brightness  which  adorns 
them  seems  borrowed  from  the  better  country.  A 
friend  of  ours,  who  was  sojourning  for  a  season  at 
the  Catskill  IMountain  House,  wrote  to  us  after  this 
manner,  concerning  a  day-spring  view  of  the  clouds 
from  that  lofty  height:  "It  was  a  dark  morning;  and 
as  I  ahnost  ran  to  reach  the  best  point  of  observation 
soon  enough,  it  Avas  intimated  by  one  of  my  compan- 
ions, that  I  would  not  see  much,  because  it  was  too 
mist}^  Nevertheless  I  went  on,  feeling  that  some- 
thing glorious  would  be  revealed;  and  it  was  glori- 
ous beyond  description.  An  angel's  pencil  could  not 
depict  the  splendor  of  tlie  scene,  nor  an  angel's  tongue 
express  its  beauty.  Passing  from  the  grand  piazza 
seemed  like  embarking  on  a  sea  of  glory.  Nothing 
could  be  seen  at  first,  but  mist  clouds,  which  filled 
the  valleys  below,  and  covered  the  mountains  wiiich 
were  round  about.  Presently  the  messenger  rays  of 
the  mowiing  came  struggling  through  them,  making 
their  darkness  bright,  and  clothing  them  with  the 
"  Amos  ix.  13.  2  pg.  cxxvi.  6. 


202  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

robes  of  the  rainbow.  In  a  little  while  the  sun  him- 
self appeared,  '  Which  is  as  a  bridegroom  coming  out 
of  his  chamber,  and  rejoiceth  as  a  strong  man  to  run 
a  race.'^  As  he  rose  higher  and  higher,  he  smiled 
upon  the  clouds  till  they  smiled  back  again,  and 
seemed  all  ablaze  with  borrowed  glory;  and  over- 
come with  feelings  of  admiration  and  amazement,  I 
closed  my  tired  eyes,  thinking  that  I  had  seen  it  all. 
But,  after  a  moment's  pause,  I  looked  again,  and  saw 
another  sight  far  more  beautiful.  The  clouds  of  mist 
were  rising  and  rolling  like  the  waves  of  the  ocean, 
and  the  sun's  rays  glorified  them  all.  They  gathered 
themselves  together  into  delectable  mountains,  and 
from  their  bright  tops,  tall  spires  of  vapor,  sparkling 
as  Avith  sapphires,  stretched  upward  towards  the  sun. 
As  one  of  them  rose  above  the  rest,  flashing  like  a 
flaming  sword,  it  seemed  to  draw  the  others  after  it, 
till  at  last  all  were  exhaled.  It  was  long  before  all 
this  beauty  vanished  from  my  view ;  and  when  it  had 
passed  away,  the  drops  of  dissolving  mist  fell  patter- 
ing on  the  leaves  like  pearls,  hung  every  bush  with 
brilliants,  and  shone  like  diamonds  on  the  grass. 
Had  it  been  a  morning  without  clouds,  the  sunrise 
would  have  been  shorn  of  more  than  half  its  glory." 
But  as  a  dim  candle  dies  at  noonday,  so  all  this  sur- 
passing splendor  fades  away  before  the  far  outri vai- 
ling brightness  which  beautifies  the  saints'  cloud, 
Avhen  God  gilds  it  with  grace  and  glory. 

We  seldom  observe  the  clouds  flitting  in  the  fir- 
mament of  heaven,  without  feelings  of  reverence  and 
'  Ps.  xix.  5. 


THE  BEAUTIFUL   CLOUDS.  203 

adoration  for  Plim,  who  is  so  much  associated  with 
tlieni.  The  J  are  God's  paviKon, — the  tent  in  Avhich 
He  dwells  :  "  Clouds  and  darkness  are  round  about 
Him:"^  they  are  His  carriage;  the  conveyance  in 
wdiich  He  travels,  "  Who  maketh  the  clouds  His 
chariot."^  In  the  night  of  weeping,  and  every  night, 
how  safe  we  are !  The  angel  of  the  Lord  and  the 
Lord  of  angels  encampeth  round  about  us;  and  in 
the  fourth  watch,  and  in  its  darkest  hour.  He  comes 
driving  down  the  starless  sky  to  our  relief,  and 
the  light  of  His  countenance,  travelling  faster  than 
His  chariot  wheels,  turns  our  rayless  night  to  per- 
fect day. 

"In  darkest  shades  if  He  appear 
My  dawning  is  begun  ; 
He  is  my  soul's  bright  morning  star, 
And  He  my  rising  sun." 

It  is  interesting  and  instructive  to  notice  in  this 
connection,  that  clouds  and  darkness  are  the  natu- 
ral and  necessary  attendants  of  this  world,  and  the 
heavenly  messengers  of  many  blessings  to  mankind. 
Li  some  way,  unknown  to  us,  they  help  to  create 
those  storms  which  purify  the  atmosphere.  Li  the 
summer's  heat  they  hang  a  friendly  veil  over  the 
fiery  face  of  the  sun;  and  all  the  year  round  they 
carry  water  for  the  thirsty  earth:  "The  clouds  drop 
down  the  dew:"-^  "They  drop  upon  the  pastures  of 
the  Avilderness:  and  the  little  hills  rejoice  on  every 
side.  The  pastures  are  clothed  Avith  flocks;  the  val- 
>  Ps.  xcvii.  2.  2  Ps.  civ.  3.  3  Prov.  iii.  20. 


204  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

leys  also  are  covered  over  with  corn ;  they  shout  for 
joy,  they  also  sing."  ^ 

In  our  present  state  of  being,  the  clouds  and  dark- 
ness of  sorrow  are  also  natural,  and  necessary,  and  ex- 
ceedingly beneficent.  Without  their  refreshing  show- 
ers, our  plants  of  grace  Avould  droop  and  die;  and  we 
could  not  make  such  good  progress  in  the  divine  life, 
if  indeed  we  could  make  any.  Were  the  path  of  our 
pilgrimage  perfumed  Avith  perennial  flowers,  and 
nothing  but  sunbeams  played  around  our  moving 
tent,  it  would  soon  cease  to  move  altogether,  and 
we  would  forget  that  we  are  strangers  and  pilgrims 
here.  This  rainbow  dispensation,  with  its  clouds  and 
sunshine,  its  tears  and  smiles,  is  the  very  best  that 
could  be  ordained  for  us:  "And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
in  that  day,  that  the  light  shall  not  be  clear,  nor 
dark:  but  it  shall  be  one  day  which  shall  be  known 
to  the  Lord,  not  day,  nor  night:  but  it  shall  come  to 
pass  that  at  evening  time  it  shall  be  light."  ^ 

In  one  of  the  European  galleries  of  fine  arts  there 
is  a  celebrated  German  picture  called  "The  Cloud 
Land."  As  you  enter  the  door  of  the  room,  and  look 
at  it  hanging  on  the  distant  wall,  you  do  not  know 
what  to  make  of  it.  It  seems  like  one  great  cloud: 
nothing  else  but  "blackness  of  darkness."  As  you 
go  a  little  nearer,  and  look  at  it  more  earnestly,  it 
seems  like  many  clouds  gathered  together.  When 
you  go  still  nearer  and  get  the  right  stand-point,  it 
changes  like  a  dissolving  view,  and  what  seemed  at 
first  to  be  a  mass  of  gloom  is  now  "  a  multitude  of  the 
»  Ps.  Ixv.  12,  13.  2  Zech.  xiv.  6,  7. 


THE  BEAUTIFUL   CLOUDS.  20$ 

heavenly  host."  All  the  clouds  are  angels,  and  there 
are  hundreds  of  angel  faces  smiling  on  you;  and  hun- 
dreds of  angel  wings  hovering  over  you;  and  hun- 
dreds of  angel  arms  outstretched  to  embrace  you. 
Dearly  beloved,  be  not  forgetful  to  entertain  afflic- 
tions: "For  thereby  some  have  entertained  angels 
unawares."^ 

It  is  still  more  interesting  and  instructive  to  re- 
member, in  closing,  that  beyond  the  dark  clouds 
which  are  of  the  earth  earthy,  there  is  a  region  of 
uninterrupted  and  eternal  sunshine.  On  the  other 
side  of  this  valley  of  Baca,  there  is  a  better  country 
than  Beulah ;  and  after  this  night  of  weeping  is  over 
and  ended,  there  will  be  a  morning  without  an  even- 
ing: "a  morning  without  clouds,"^  where  perfect  day, 
and  perfect  peace,  and  perfect  love  shall  be  enjoyed 
perpetually. 

The  clouds  which  gather  round  our  globe  cling 
close  to  its  surface,  and  seldom  rise  above  the  tops 
of  our  highest  mountains.  When  he  was  ascend- 
ing the  Andes,  Humboldt  says  that  he  could  see 
the  forked  lightning  darting  from  the  black  clouds 
beneath  him,  and  hear  the  pealing  thunder  far  down 
under  his  feet,  Avhen  all  was  tranquil,  clear,  and  de- 
lightful above  and  around  him.  So  when  we  ascend 
to  heaven,  we  shall  leave  all  the  dark  clouds  behind 
us,  with  all  their  storms,  and  dwell  in  the  land  of 
pure  delight,  where  the  sun  is  always  shining,  and 
the  birds  are  always  singing,  and  the  flowers  are 
always  blooming.  What  a  happy  place  heaven  must 
•  Heb.  xiii.  2.  2  \\  gam.  xxiii.  4. 


206  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

be !  The  very  thought  of  it  makes  me  homesick. 
"The  beautiful  die  never  there."  "And  there  sliall 
be  no  night  there:  and  they  need  no  candle,  neither 
light  of  the  sun ;  for  the  Lord  God  givetli  them  light : 
and  they  shall  reign  forever  and  ever."  ^ 

AVe  can  not  quit  our  theme, — so  beautiful  and  sweet 
of  fragrance, — without  reminding  you,  as  well,  that 
beyond  this  life  of  lights  and  shadows,  joys  and  sor- 
rows, meetings  and  partings,  there  is  a  place  of 
unmitigated  and  everlasting  misery.  And  painful 
though  it  be  to  pass  from  a  thought  so  pleasant  as 
our  last,  to  one  so  unpalatable^  we  may  not  overlook 
it,  because  there  is  in  the  text  a  foretoken  of  both  the 
worlds  beyond  the  grave.  Through  its  bright  light 
there  comes  to  us  a  gleam  of  heaven's  glory,  and  in 
its  black  clouds  there  is  a  glimpse  of  the  gloom  of 
hell:  that  place  of  blackness  of  darkness,  where  "the 
smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth  up  forever  and 
ever."^  It  is  a  dreadful  place  that  pit.  There  will 
be  no  joy  down  there ;  there  will  be  no  light  down 
there ;  there  will  be  no  hope  down  there ;  there  will 
be  nothing  down  there,  but  weeping  and  wailing  and 
gnashing  of  teeth. 

Jesus,  my  God  and  Saviour,  "gather  not  my  soul 
with  sinners,  nor  my  life  with  bloody  men,  and  let 
not  the  pit  shut  her  mouth  upon  me."^ 

1  Rev.  xxii.  5.       2  K,ev.  xiv.  11.       ^  ps.  xxvi.  9,  and  Ixix.  15. 


THE   THORN    IN    THE    FLESH. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

'■^ And  lest  I  should  be  exalted  above  measure  through  the  abundance 
of  the  revelations^  there  was  given  to  me  a^horn  in  the  Jlesh,  the  mes- 
sejiger  of  Satan  to  buffet  me,  lest  I  should  be  exalted  above  measure. 
For  this  thing  I  besought  the  Lord  thrice,  that  it  might  depart  from 
me.  And  he  said  imto  me.  My  grace  is  sufficiejit  for  thee:  for  my 
strength  is  made  perfect  in  xaeakness.  Most  gladly  therefore  will  I 
rather  glory  in  my  infirmities,  that  the  powjr  of  Christ  may  rest 
upon  me.''^ — II  CoR.  xii.  7-9. 

IN  the  glorious  company  of  the  apostles,  the  goodly 
fellowship  of  the  prophets,  and  the  noble  army 
of  martyrs,  Paul  has  confessedly  the  highest  place. 
The  chief  of  sinners  has  become  the  chief  of  saints; 
and  lie  who  was  "  less  than  the  least "  ^  of  all  in  the 
kingdom  of  grace,  is  now  the  greatest  of  all  in  the 
kingdom  of  glory.  Of  all  tlie  holy  men  of  old, — from 
righteous  Abel,  downward  to  the  present  day, — he 
was  the  most  honored,  because  he  is  the  only  one 
who  was  ever  "caught  up  into  paradise,"  and  brought 
back  again ;  whether  in  the  body  or  out  of  the  body 
he  could  not  tell.  But  as  the  seeds  of  our  most 
painful  sorrows  are  often  planted  in  our  purest  joys, 
so  in  this  visit  to  heaven  there  was  a  taste  of  hell ; 
for  as  the  apostle  was  coming  away  from  the  realms 
of  bliss,  he  met  a  "  messenger  of  Satan,"  who  began 
to  bufiet  him  and  continued  to  buffet  him  for  more 
»  Epli.  iii.  8. 


2IO  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

than  thirty  years.  And  though  there  can  be  no  com- 
munion between  light  and  darkness,  nor  concord  be- 
tween Christ  and  Behal,  yet  there  is  a  proper  scripture 
sense  in  which  this  messenger  of  Satan  was  also  the 
messenger  of  God;  and  all  his  evil  buffetings  were  so 
balanced  and  borne  and  blest,  that  they  resulted  in 
nothing  but  good.  As  the  thorns  and  thistles  of  the 
original  curse  blossJm  into  the  fairest  and  most  fra- 
grant flowers  that  adorn  the  earth,  so  this  "thorn  in 
the  flesh,"  this  thistle  of  hell,  opened  out  and  up  into 
the  grace  and  ^lory  of  heaven. 

What  the  thorn  was,  we  are  not  told,  and  of  course 
we  do  not  know  for  certain.  To  count  up  and  con- 
sider the  various  opinions  concerning  it,  might  be 
interesting  to  many;  but  it  would  take  us  away 
too  far  from  our  present  purpose.  Besides,  it  would 
have  too  much  the  appearance  of  a  useless  pedantry. 
Whatever  it  was,  it  seems  to  have  been  something 
that  detracted  much  from  the  apostle's  personal  ap- 
pearance, subjected  him  to  great  humiliation,  and 
was  calculated  to  hinder  and  hamper  him  in  his 
"work  of  faith  and  labor  of  love."^  It  was  doubt- 
less an  abiding  infirmity,  which  troubled  and  tor- 
mented him  day  and  night  without  ceasing. 

And  though  it  may  be  nothing  more  than  a  prob- 
able conjecture,  we  are  inclined  to  accept  the  opinion 
that  it  was  an  afi'ection  of  the  eyes.  If  the  apostle 
was  in  the  body  wlien  he  was  "caught  up  to  the 
third  heaven,"  what  he  saw  there  might  have  im- 
paired his  sense  of  sight.  Nay,  it  must  have  done 
J  I  Thess.  i.  3. 


THE    THORN  IN  THE  FLESH.  211 

so;  because  no  mortal  eye  could  gaze  at  the  glory 
excelling  of  God's  own  dwelling-place  without  being 
blinded.  Intense  light  of  any  kind,  as  every  one 
knows,  is  injurious  to  the  eyes.  Men  have  been 
blinded  for  a  season  by  the  brightness  of  a  burning 
lamp;  they  have  been  permanently  blinded  by  look- 
ing at  the  sun  during  an  eclipse ;  and  a  flash  of  light- 
ning has  sometimes  destroyed  the  sight. 

In  Paul's  own  experience  we  have  the  best  illustra- 
tion of  the  blinding  influence  of  excessive  briglitness. 
When  he  was  going  to  Damascus,  to  persecute  the 
followers  of  Christ  in  that  beautiful  city,  "suddenly 
there  shined  round  about  him  a  light  from  heaven."^ 
It  was  about  noon,  but  the  light  from  heaven  was 
"above  the  brightness  of  the  sun";^  and  by  it  the 
apostle  was  smitten  with  blindness;  for  he  says  him- 
self, "I  could  not  see  for  the  glory  of  that  light." ^ 
He  could  not  see  for  three  days,  and,  doubtless,  never 
would  have  seen  again,  if  a  miracle  had  not  been 
wrought  to  restore  his  lost  sense. 

And  if  the  light  from  heaven  had  such  an  injurious 
effect  upon  Paul,  what  must  have  been  the  effect  of 
the  light  of  heaven,  when  we  know  that  "the  Lamb 
is  the  light  thereof?"*  If  a  brief  glimpse  of  the 
Saviour's  glory  actually  blinded  him,  surely  it  should 
not  be  counted  a  strange  thing,  if,  when  he  saw  "  the 
King  in  His  beauty,"  ^  the  dazzling  brightness  of  the 
beatific  vision  quenched   the   hght  of  life   in   those 

1  Acts  ix.  3.  2  Acts  xxvi.  13. 

3  Acts  xxii.  11.  <  Kev.  xxi.  23. 

6  Isa.  xxxiii.  17. 


212  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

bewildered  eyes  that  enjoyed  tlie  ravishing  sight  till 
they  could  see  no  more. 

And  if"  Paul  was  not  in  the  body  when  caught  up 
into  Paradise,  Avas  such  an  effect  impossible  or  im- 
probable? If,  as  is  a  well-known  fact,  some  sudden, 
strong  emotion,  as  of  grief  or  joy,  will  cause  the  pulse 
to  cease  to  beat,  and  the  heart  to  stand  still,  and  even 
to  break,  —  may  not  the  surprising  revelations  of 
heaven  have  made  such  an  intense  and  abiding  im- 
pression on  the  spiritual  retina  of  "  the  iuAvard  man," 
that  after  his  return  to  the  earthly  house  of  this  tab- 
ernacle, the  "outward  man"  might  have  been  blinded 
by  the  brightness  of  that  glory  that  lingered  in  the 
soul,  like  the  light  of  God's  countenance  that  lingered 
on  the  face  of  Moses  Avhen  he  came  down  from  the 
mount? 

But,  however  this  may  be,  whichever  of  the  sup- 
positions is  true, — Avhether  Paul  was  in  the  body  or 
out  of  the  body, — the  piercing  pain  of  a  perpetual 
malady  was  the  price  he  paid  for  the  privilege  of 
going  to  Paradise ;  for  what  he  saw  there  left  a  last- 
ing impression  on  his  mind  and  body  both,  like  that 
which  is  felt  when  "those  that  look  out  of  the  Avin- 
dows  be  darkened."^  Besides,  from  this  time  forth 
the  great  apostle  was  almost  never  alone ;  and  seems 
never  to  have  taken  the  shortest  journey  unattended. 
Wherever  he  went,  into  Avhatsoever  city  or  village  or 
country  he  came,  he  was  accompanied  by  some  of  his 
friends.  His  infirmity,  whatever  it  was,  made  him 
dependent  upon  the  kindness  of  others.  It  is  also 
1  EccL  xii.  3. 


THE    THORN  IN  THE  FLESH.  213 

abundantly  evident  that  he  usually  Avrote  his  epistles 
by  the  aid  of  an  amanuensis,  and  merely  signed  his 
name  Avith  his  salutations,  and  a  brief  benediction  at 
the  close.  And  Avhen  Ave  remember  that  most  of 
these  ejDistles  Avere  Tsadtten  when  the  apostle  Avas  in 
prison,  Avhere  Avriting  would  have  been  a  positive 
pleasure,  Ave  can  not  help  thinking  that  their  author 
Avould  ha\'e  AA^-itten  the  whole  of 'them  Avith  his  OAvn 
hand,  if  such  a  thing  had  not  been  rendered  exceed- 
ingly difficult,  and  perhaps  quite  impossible,  by  rea- 
son of  his  imperfect  vision. 

In  the  last  chapter  of  the  epistle  to  the  Galatians, 
there  is  an  allusion  to  this  very  difficulty:  "Ye  see 
hoAv  large  a  letter  I  have  Avritten  unto  you  Avith 
mine  OAvn  hand."  ^  According  to  our  translation,  the 
apostle  is  speaking  here  about  the  letter  Avhich  he 
had  just  Avritten,  and  he  calls  it  a  large  one,  and 
says  it  Avas  written  with  his  oAvn  hand.  And  it  Avas 
a  proof  of  his  special  regard  for  those  to  Avhom  it  Avas 
addressed  that  he  Avas  willing  to  undergo  this  un- 
usual labor  on  their  account. 

Such  is  the  manifest  meaning  of  our  English  ver- 
sion; but  the  best  modern  commenfators  are  of  the 
opinion  that  the  phrase  rendered,  "hoAv  large  a  let- 
ter," has  no  reference  to  the  epistle  at  all,  but  only  to 
"the  size  of  the  characters"^  in  Avhich  he  had  Avritten 
the  letter.  His  handwriting  Avas  probably  poor,  the 
lines  Avere  irregular,  the  letters  Avere  large  and  rude, 
as  a  man  Avould  be  likely  to  make  them  Avho  Avas  la- 
boring under  the  embarrassment  of  a  defective  Adsion. 
'  Gal.  vi.  11.  2  Conybeare's  translation. 


214  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

Moreover,  in  another  place  in  this  same  epistle, 
remembering  the  first  love,  and  the  former  friendship 
of  the  Galatians,  and  deeply  sensible  of  their  affec- 
tion, and  the  strength  of  their  attachment,  the  apostle 
says,  "  I  bear  you  record,  that,  if  it  had  been  possi- 
ble, ye  would  have  plucked  out  your  own  eyes,  and 
have  given  them  to  me."^  These  devoted  friends  saw 
Paul's  infirmity,  and  sympathized  with  him  so  much, 
that,  if  it  had  been  possible,  they  would  have  torn  out 
their  own  eyes  to  supply  the  lack  of  his.  Such  is  the 
real  meaning  of  this  remarkable  expression. 

But  it  makes  very  little  matter  what  the  thorn  was, 
we  know  beyond  a  peradventure  why  it  was  given. 
Here  indeed  the  apostle  has  been  more  explicit  than 
usual.  Once  in  the  beginning,  and  again  at  the  end, 
of  the  same  short  sentence,  the  reason  is  plainly  stated 
in  these  words,  "Lest  I  should  be  exalted  above  meas- 
ure, through  the  abundance  of  the  revelations,  there 
was  given  to  me  a  thorn  in  the  flesh,  the  messenger 
of  Satan  to  buffet  me,  lest  I  should  be  exalted  above 
measure." 

Paul  was  a  proud  man;  of  this  there  can  be  no 
question.  Pride  was  born  in  him,  and  bound  up  in 
his  heart;  and  for  many  years  it  was  nourished  and 
cherished  there  as  a  precious  treasure.  He  was  pre- 
eminently ambitious,  loved  the  praise  of  men,  and 
thought  more  highly  of  himself  than  he  ought  to 
think.  As  he  advanced  in  age  and  learning  and  in- 
fluence, his  pride  increased,  till  he  became  the  haugh- 
tiest man  in  the  world:  "If  any  other  man  thinketh 
1  GaL  iv.  15. 


THE    THORN  IN  THE  FLESH.  2  I  5 

that  he  hath  whereof  he  might  trust  in  the  flesh,  I 
more:  circumcised  the  eighth  day,  of  the  stock  of 
Israel,  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  a  Hebrew  of  the  He- 
brews; as  touching  the  law,  a  Pharisee;  concerning 
zeal,  persecuting  the  church ;  touching  the  righteous- 
ness which  is  in  the  law,  blameless."^  But,  in  spite 
of  this  ever-present  infirmity,  Paul  was  a  good  man, 
and  greatly  beloved  of  God ;  and  in  order  to  prevent 
his  natural  propensity  from  flaunting  out  into  exces- 
sive self-esteem,  and  leading  him  on  to  self-destruc- 
tion, the  piercing  thorn  was  planted  in  his  flesh  by  a 
messenger  of  Satan. 

Pride  is  a  common  sin,  and  has  a  home  or  a  hiding- 
place  in  every  human  heart.  The  high  and  the  low 
are  alike  subject  to  it;  and  the  filthy  rags  of  the 
beggar  are  its  clothing  more  frequently  than  the 
royal  purple  of  the  king.  Some  men  are  proud  of 
their  riches.  Nothing  pleases  them  so  much  as  to  go 
round  about  their  patrimonial  acres ;  and  they  glory  in 
their  great  possessions,  knowing  all  the  time,  that  in 
a  little  while  "six  feet  by  two"  is  more  than  they  will 
own,  and  all  that  they  can  occupy.  Other  men  are 
proud  of  their  pedigree.  They  belong  to  an  ancient 
and  honorable  house,  and  can  trace  their  blood  back 
to  some  noble  lord;  and  the  family  tree  is  the  idol 
that  they  worship.  But  among  their  illustrious  an- 
cestors there  are  many  of  whom  they  can  not  boast 
very  much,  and  not  a  few  of  whom  they  ought  to  be 
ashamed:  "Look  unto  the  rock  whence  ye  are  hewn, 
and  to  the  hole  of  the  pit  whence  ye  are  digged."^ 
1  Phil.  iii.  4-6.  2  Isa.  li.  1. 


2l6  •  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

The  altogether  lovelj  Saviour  was  the  flower  of  the 
human  family,  and  "the  perfection  of  beauty;"  but 
no  man  can  read  the  long  list  of  names  in  "the  house 
and  lineage  of  David,"  ^  from  Avhich  He  sprang,  with- 
out blushing  two  or  three  times. 

As  people  prosper  in  their  outward  estate  tlieir  pride 
is  apt  to  prosper  in  the  same  proportion.  When  Ha- 
man  reached  the  highest  position  in  the  kingdom  of 
Persia,  his  pride  rose  above  and  spread  beyond  him- 
self; and  he  went  home  and  called  his  friends  together, 
and  "told  them  of  the  glory  of  his  riches,  and  the  mul- 
titude of  his  cliildren,  and  all  the  things  wherein  the 
king  had  promoted  him,  and  how  ]ie  liad  advanced 
liim  above  the  princes  and  servants  of  the  king."^ 
Wheii  Nebuchadnezzar  was  sitting  down  under  his 
own  shadow,  the  pent-up  pride  of  his  heart  broke 
forth  through  his  lips  in  these  "great  swelling  words 
of  vanity:"^  "Is  not  this  great  Babylon,  that  I  have 
built  for  the  house  of  the  kingdom  by  the  might  of 
my  power,  and  for  the  honor  of  my  majesty!"*  But, 
in  a  little  while,  the  one  was  hanged  on  his  own  gal- 
lows, and  the  other  "was  driven  from  men,  and  did 
eat  grass  as  oxen,  and  his  body  was  wet  with  the 
dew  of  heaven,  till  his  hairs  were  grown  like  eagles' 
feathers,  and  his  nails  like  birds'  claws."  ^  "  Pride 
goeth  before  destruction,  and  a  haughty  spirit  before 
a  fall."  ^' 

But  pride  is  not  confined  to  the  men  of  the  world. 

I  Luke  ii.  4.  2  Estli.  v.  11. 

3  IT  Pet.  ii.  18.  4  Dan.  iv.  30. 

6  Dan.  iv.  33.  e  Prov.  xn.  18. 


THE    THORN  IN  THE  FLESH  21/ 

Long  before  the  days  of  Diotrephes  it  joined  the 
church,  and  here,  as  every wliere,  it  "loveth  to  have 
the  pre-eminence."^  Pride  sits  in  Moses'  seat,  wears 
the  mantle  of  Ehjah,  preaches  in  many  a  pulpit,  and 
puts  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  very  prompt  and 
particular  in  the  performance  of  all  duties  pertaining 
to  the  profession  it  has  made,  and  often  goes  beyond 
the  letter  of  the  law  having  a  desire  to  excel;  stand- 
ing by  itself,  like  itself,  it  loves  to  pray  in  public 
when  it  can  be  seen  and  heard  of  men;  and  it  has 
a  form  of  prayer  not  only  peculiarly  appropriate,  but 
well  pleasing  to  its  vanity :  "  God,  I  thank  thee,  that 
I  am  not  as  other  men  are,  extortioners,  unjust,  adul- 
terers, or  even  as  this  publican.  I  fast  twice  in  the 
week,  I  give  tithes  of  all  that  I  possess."^ 

And  those  Avho  are  in  Christ  are  scarcely  less  ex- 
posed to  the  bewitching  influence  of  this  besetting 
sin  than  those  who  are  only  in  the  church.  Yea, 
strange  as  it  may  seem,  the  most  eminent  saints  are, 
in  some  respects,  most  in  danger  of  it;  and  Avhen 
they  are  dwelling  nearest  to  God  their  danger  is  the 
greatest.  In  "the  Song  of  Songs,"  we  learn  that  it 
was  when  her  Lord  and  Lover  had  come  over  the 
mountains  of  Bether,  and  the  bride  was  enjoying  the 
sweetest  communion  of  the  Bridegroom,  that  she  re- 
ceived this  timely  command  of  caution  from  Him: 
"Take  us  the  foxes,  the  little  foxes,  that  spoil  the 
vines."'*  Spiritual  self  is  no  better  than  righteous 
self;  it  is  no  better  than  sinful  self  ^f^y,  it  is  rather 
worse  than  both,  because  where  God  has  planted 
I  ni  John  9.  2  Luke  xviii.  11,  12.  ^  Cant.  ii.  15. 


2l8  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

grace,  we  look  for  the  fruits  of  grace,  but  too  fre- 
quently we  find  only  "wild  grapes,"^  and  sometimes 
"nothing  but  leaves."^ 

And  just  here  was  Paul's  most  powerful  tempta- 
tion ;  and  never  was  he  so  much  in  danger  of  going 
to  hell  as  when  he  Avent  to  heaven.  About  his  con- 
version there  could  be  no  doubt;  his  progress  in  holi- 
ness Avas  very  wonderful,  and  he  enjoyed  one  privi- 
lege that  was  conferred  on  no  other  living  man,  for 
he  was  "  caught  up  into  Paradise  and  heard  unspeak- 
able words."  ^  And  it  was  "through  the  abundance 
of  the  revelations"  that  he  was  in  danger  of  being 
"  exalted  above  measure."  And  the  abiding  fear  that 
he  might  be  flattered  by  his  friends,  and  so  puffed 
up,  may  have  constrained  him  to  keep  these  revela- 
tions a  profound  secret  for  fourteen  years. 

And  if  we  would  avoid  the  strongest  temptations 
to  spiritual  pride,  we  should  have  a  care  never  to 
boast  about  our  progress  towards  perfection  and  our 
communion  with  Christ.  The  most  devout  and  heav- 
enly-minded Christians  have  no  religion  to  spare,  and 
none  to  speak  of  boastingly.  It  is  not  wise  to  be 
always  bringing  out  to  the  light  that  life  which  is 
"hid  with  Christ  in  God";*  nor  is  it  needful  so  to 
do,  because  in  its  own  divine  way  it  will  make  itself 
manifest.  The  glory  that  sat  enthroned  on  the  face 
of  ]Moses  was  visible  enough  to  every  body  but  him- 
self When  Stephen  was  put  on  trial  for  his  life,  "all 
that  sat  in  the  council  looking  steadfastly  on  him  saw 

1  Isa.  V.  2.  2  Mark  xi.  13. 

3  II  Cor.  xii.  4.  4  Col.  iii.  3. 


THE    THORN  IN  THE  FLESH.  219 

his  face  as  it  had  been  the  face  of  an  angel."  ^  And 
when  the  elders  of  Israel  saw  the  boldness  of  Peter 
and  John,  "  they  took  knowledge  of  them,  that  they 
had  been  with  Jesus."  ^ 

It  Avas  not  because  Paul  was  already  proud,  "through 
the  abundance  of  the  revelations,"  but  to  prevent  him 
from  becoming  proud  that  the  thorn  was  given  to 
him.  After  Jacob's  great  victory  over  Omnipotence, 
wlien  he  gained  a  new  name  and  a  blessing  besides, 
to  prevent  his  haughty  spirit  from  running  away 
with  himself,  as  he  departed  from  Peniel,  "  he  halted 
upon  his  thigh."  ^^  In  our  Master's  school  there  is  a 
rod  of  prevention,  as  well  as  a  rod  of  correction ;  and 
both  of  them  are  good,  but  the  first  is  better  than  the 
last. 

Afflictions  are  often  very  mysterious  when  they 
come;  but  each  sorrow  has  its  separate  meaning  and 
its  special  mission.  The  chief  end  of  one  may  be  to 
warn  the  sinner,  or  to  restore  the  wandering  saint; 
the  chief  end  of  another  may  be  to  teach  the  world's 
vanity  and  wean  the  affections  from  it;  the  chief  end 
of  another  may  be  to  develop  the  spiritual  life,  and 
prepare  the  immortal  soul  for  its  immortal  destiny. 
And  whenever  we  are  called  to  suffer,  we  may  be 
sure  and  certain  that  "the  Lord  hath  a  controversy"* 
Avitli  us ;  and  it  ought  to  be  our  first  duty  to  find  out, 
if  possible,  the  reason  of  the  controversy;  and  if  we 
are  unable  to  solve  the  mystery  for  ourselves,  we 
should  take  it  to  the  mercy-seat,  saying,  with  one  of 

1  Acts  vi.  15.  2  Acts  iv.  13. 

3  Gea.  xxxii.  31.  ^  Mic.  vi.  2. 


220  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

old  time,  "  sliow  me  wherefore  thou  contenclest  with 
me?"^  David  was  afflicted,  because  he  had  gone 
astray,  and  he  knew  it  well,  and  confessed  it  openly: 
"  Before  I  was  afflicted  I  went  asti-ay."  ^  But  Paul  was 
afflicted  before  he  went  astray.  And  if  the  man  after 
God's  own  heart  wandered  far  from  God,  avIio  is  safe? 
And  if  the  chiefest  of  the  apostles  was  prone  to  wan- 
der, who  is  not  ?  The  heart  is  just  as  deceitful  now  as 
it  was  then,  sin  is  just  as  sinful,  Satan  is  just  as  subtle, 
and  before  they  are  aware,  the  best  Christians  may  be 
beginning  to  backslide:  "Strangers  have  devoured  his 
strength,  and  he  knoweth  it  not;  yea,  gray  hairs  are 
here  and  there  upon  him,  yet  he  knoweth  it  not."' 

Not  long  ago,  perhaps,  some  great  calamity  came 
upon  you,  and  you  Avere  crushed  before  it  like  a 
bruised  reed;  and  out  of  the  depths  you  began  to 
say,  "What  evil  have  I  done  to  deserve  this  chastise- 
ment ?  "  And  as  the  result  of  the  strictest  self-exam- 
ination, there  was  no  special  wrong-doing  on  your 
part.  No,  you  had  not  gone  astray,  but  you  were  in 
danger  of  so  doing:  your  feet  were  standing  in  a  slip- 
pery place,  on  the  very  edge  of  hell,  and  beginning 
to  slide,  though  you  knew  it  not  till  some  blessed 
sorrow  came  and  delivered  you  from  the  second  death: 
"  Behold,  I  Avill  hedge  up  thy  way  with  thorns,  and 
make  a  wall  that  she  shall  not  find  her  paths."* 

As  soon  as  the  thorn  Avas  given  to  the  apostle,  he 

began  to  pray  for  its  removal:    "For   tliis   thing  I 

besought  the  Lord  thrice,  that  it  might  depart  from 

me."     In  his  great  distress  he  knew  Avhere  to  go; 

1  Job  X.  2.       2  ps.  cxix.  G7.       3  Hos.  vii.  9.       ^  Hos.  ii.  6. 


THE    THORN  IN  THE  FLESH  221 

his  refuge  was  tlie  mercy-seat.  He  took  the  thorn 
to  the  throne  of  grace,  and  asked  the  good  Physician 
to  take  it  away.  He  had  learned  by  experience  that 
this  was  the  best  thing  that  lie  could  do  with  the 
tormenting  thing;  and,  doubtless,  this  was  the  only 
thing  that  he  could  do  Avith  any  hope  of  help,  be- 
cause his  desperate  malady  must  have  been  beyond 
the  reach  of  medicine.  But  it  was  not  beyond  \X\q 
skill  and  resources  of  the  kind  and  mighty  Jesus, 
who  opened  the  eyes  of  those  who  were  born  blind, 
cast  out  devils,  and  raised  the  dead. 

Paul  was  pre-eminently  a  man  of  prayer ;  he  lived  to 
pray,  and  prayed  to  live,  and  loved  to  pray.  Prayer 
was  more  and  better  to  him  than  his  meat  and  drink; 
it  Avas  the  most  precious  privilege  that  he  enjoyed, 
and  he  knew  something  of  its  prevailing  power;  and, 
in  this  time  of  his  visitation,  he  practiced  a  precept 
that  he  preached  to  others:  "  In  every  thing  b}^  prayer, 
and  supplication  with  thanksgiving  let  your  requests 
be  made  known  unto  God."  ^  His  health  and  sick- 
ness, his  hopes  and  fears,  his  joys  and  sorrows,  were 
poured  out  into  the  sympathizing  heart  of  his  heav- 
enly Friend.  He  prayed  "always  with  all  prayer,"' 
and  "without  ceasing";'  so  that  it  is  hardly  proper  to 
say  that  he  ever  went  to  the  mercy-seat,  because  he 
was  always  there. 

Besides,  he  was  very  particular  when  he  prayed. 
Whatever  the  matter  was  that  weighed  upon  his 
mind,  he  "spread  it  before  the  Lord."*     The  prayer 

'  Phil.  iv.  6.  2  Epb.  vi.  18. 

3  I  Thess.  V.  17.  ^  II  Kings  xix.  14 


222  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

now  passing  under  review  shows  how  careful  he  Avas 
to  cast  the  burden  of  his  care  upon  Christ.  As  if  he 
prayed  for  nothing  else,  he  says:  "For  this  thing  I 
besought  the  Lord."  He  wisely  made  his  special 
trouble  the  subject  of  special  prayer.  When  the  anx- 
ious patient  goes  to  the  physician,  he  minutely  relates 
every  symptom  of  his  disease;  he  tells  particularly 
w^liere  the  pain  is,  what  like  it  is,  when  it  came,  and 
all  about  it,  that  he  may  receive  the  right  remedy. 
So  "our  beloved  brother  Paul"^  went  into  all  the  par- 
ticulars concerning  the  thorn  in  the  flesh,  when  he 
prayed.  He  doubtless  told  the  Maker  of  his  frame 
more  about  it  than  he  has  told  us.  He  told  Him 
what  it  was  precisely,  how  painful  it  was,  how  he 
feared  it  would  hinder  his  usefulness,  and  earnestly 
implored  that  it  might  be  taken  away:  "For  this 
thing  I  besought  the  Lord." 

He  prayed  three  times  that  the  thorn  might  be 
removed :  "  For  this  thing  I  besought  the  Lord  thrice, 
that  it  might  depart  from  me."  Tliis  may  mean  that 
he  frequently  prayed  that  he  might  be  delivered  from 
the  buflfetings  of  Satan's  messenger,  because  the  defi- 
nite is  sometimes  put  for  an  indefinite  number.  Or, 
it  may  mean  that  he  sought  for  relief  on  three  sev- 
eral and  solemn  occasions.  This  last  is  the  most  prob- 
able opinion.  Among  the  Jews,  three  Avas  a  sacred 
number,  and  it  was  customary  for  them  to  pray  three 
times,  and  only  three  times,  for  any  important  bless- 
ing, or  for  the  removal  of  any  great  calamity;  and 
Paul  conformed  to  this  custom  of  his  countrymen. 
'  II  Pet.  iii.  15. 


THE    THORN  IN  THE  FLESH.  223 

And  not  only  so,  but  he  might  have  taken  for  his 
pattern  the  example  of  Christ,  who  prayed  three 
times,  and  only  three  times,  that  our  cup  of  trem- 
bling might  pass  from  Him. 

You  remember  the  scene  of  the  Saviour's  special 
sorrow.  It  Avas  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  and  at 
the  noon  of  night,  when  His  great  and  gentle  heart 
began  to  break  for  us  men  and  for  our  salvation. 
Feeling  the  need  of  human  sympathy,  He  took  with 
Him  Peter,  James,  and  John;  and  feeling  greater 
need  of  divine  sympathy,  He  fell  on  His  face,  and 
prayed,  saying,  "0  my  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let 
this  cup  pass  from  me :  nevertheless,  not  as  I  will,  but 
as  thou  wilt."^  And  lifting  Himself  up  Avith  the  help 
of  the  strengthening  angel.  He  came  to  His  disciples, 
and  "found  them  sleeping  for  sorrow";^  and  after 
mildly  remonstrating  with  them,  because  they  could 
not  watch  with  Him  one  hour,  "  He  went  away  again 
the  second  time,  and  prayed,  saying,  0  my  Father,  if 
this  cup  may  not  pass  away  from  me,  except  I  drink 
it,  thy  will  be  done.  And  He  came  and  found  them 
asleep  again:  for  their  eyes  were  heavy.  And  He 
left  them,  and  Avent  aAvay  again,  and  prayed  the  third 
time,  saying  the  same  Avords."^  After  this  third  time, 
Jesus  prayed  no  more  that  the  cup  might  pass  from 
Him,  but  patiently  submitted  to  the  Avill  of  His  heav- 
enly Father.  In  like  manner,  Avhen  Paul  had  prayed 
three  times  that  the  thorn  might  be  taken  aAvay,  he 
ceased  his  supplications  altogether,  and  acquiesced  in 
the  Avill  of  God. 

1  Mat.  xxvi.  39.         2  Luke  xxii.  45.        3  Mat.  xxvi.  42-44. 


224  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

And  here,  as  elsewhere,  Ave  learn  to  pray  in  the 
time  of  trouble.  This  part  of  the  text  seems  like  a 
guide-post  with  an  index  finger  painted  on  it,  point- 
ing to  the  Lord  "our  refuge  and  strength,  a  very 
present  help  in  trouble."^  Prayer  is  a  power  mightier 
than  Omnipotence;  it  is  also  a  very  precious  privilege. 
One  while  it  brings  us  up  to  heaven,  and  another 
while  it  brings  heaven  down  to  us, 

"And  glory  crov/us  tlie  mercy-seat." 

When  Daniel  w^as  mourning  and  fasting  and  praying, 
the  Lord  Jesus  came  to  see  him,  and  touched  him, 
and  lifted  him  up  from  the  ground,  and  talked  with 
him,  saying,  "  Thy  words  were  heard,  and  I  am  come 
for  thy  words."  ^ 

Trouble  always  brings  Jesus  near  to  those  who  love 
Him  and  serve  Him  for  love.  Sorrow  is  only  another 
name  for  the  royal  chariot  of  heaven,  "paved  wdth 
love,"^  in  which  He  who  was  once  "a  man  of  sor- 
rows"* comes  driving  down  the  darkened  sky,  with 
every  axle  glowdng,  to  comfort  those  whom  He  has 
betrothed  to  Himself  forever.  With  His  own  dear 
hands  He  gently  removes  the  ashes  from  their  lieads, 
bowled  down  with  grief,  and  crowns  them  with  a 
bridal  diadem  of  flowers;  from  His  horn  of  plenty 
He  pours  the  oil  of  joy  so  abundantly  into  their  bro- 
ken hearts,  that  there  is  no  room  for  mourning  any 
more:  He  unbinds  the  black  "sackcloth  of  hair"'' 
from  their  fainting  spirits,  and  girds  them  up  with 

1  Ps.  xlvi.  1.  2  Dan.  x.  12.  3  Cant.  iii.  10. 

4  Isa.  liii.  3.  ^  Kev.  vi.  12. 


THE    THORN  IN  THE  FLESH.  22 5 

the  bright  garment  of  praise,  the  beautiful  "raiment 
of  needlework,"  Avhich  is  the  wedding  garment  of 
His  redeemed,  and  so  prepares  them  for  the  marriage 
mansion,  and  the  marriage  supper,  and  the  marriage 
portion:  "With  gladness  and  rejoicing  shall  they  be 
brought;  tJiey  shall  enter  into  the  King's  palace."^ 
All  glory  be  to  the  all -lovely  Bridegroom  for  this 
faithful  saying:  "Thou  shalt  also  be  a  crown  of  glory 
in  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  and  a  royal  diadem  in  the 
hand  of  thy  God."  ^ 

It  is  often  doubtless  the  main  design  of  trouble  to 
bring  the  Saviour  s  blood-bought  people  near  to  Ilim. 
jNIanasseh  was  a  very  wicked  man,  and  as  he  was 
king  in  Jerusalem,  his  influence  for  evil  was  exceed- 
ing great.  He  turned  "the  house  of  the  Lord"  into 
an  idol  temple,  and  built  altars  in  its  courts  "  for  all 
the  host  of  heaven."  Like  bad  men  generally,  he 
was  very  superstitious:  "he  observed  times,  and  used 
enchantments,  and  used  witchcraft,  and  dealt  with  a 
familiar  spirit,  and  with  wizards.""'  And,  sorer  still, 
he  was  a  murderer,  and  shed  more  innocent  blood 
than  any  of  his  predecessors.  Nor  was  he  satisfied  to 
be  wicked  himself  alone,  for  "  he  caused  his  children 
to  pass  through  the  fire  in  the  valley  of  the  son  of 
Hinnom,"  and  seduced  the  chosen  generation,  and 
"made  Judah  and  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  to  err, 
and  to  do  Avorse  than  the  heathen."* 

But  this  child  of  wrath  was  a  chosen  vessel,  and 
you  will  notice  now  the  divine  method  of  bringing 

•  Ps.  xlv.  15.  2  isa.  Ixii.  3. 

3  II  Chron.  xxxiii.  G.  ■<  TI  Chrou.  xxxiii.  9. 


220  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

him  to  repentance  and  reformation:  "The  Lord  spake 
to  Manasseh,  and  to  his  people :  but  they  would  not 
hearken.  Wherefore  the  Lord  brought  upon  them 
the  captains  of  the  host  of  the  king  of  Assyria,  which 
took  Manasseh  among  the  thorns,  and  bound  him 
with  fetters,  and  carried  him  to  Babylon.  And  when 
he  was  in  affliction,  he  besought  the  Lord  his  God, 
and  humbled  himself  greatly  before  the  God  of  his 
fathers,  and  prayed  unto  Him,  and  He  was  entreated 
of  him,  and  heard  his  supplication  and  brought  him 
again  to  Jerusalem  into  his  kingdom.  Then  Manas- 
seh knew  that  the  Lord  He  was  God."^ 

In  the  same  rough  but  right  way  the  Lord  often 
deals  with  His  people  now,  not  willingly  but  neces- 
sarily. When  they  wander  far  from  Him,  and  set  up 
idols  in  their  hearts,  and  love  the  creature  more  than 
the  Creator,  by  His  kind  providences  He  calls  them 
to  return  from  their  backslidings,  but  they  will  not 
hear;  He  calls  again,  but  they  give  no  heed.  At 
last  He  is  constrained  to  send  some  great  calamity 
to  bring  them  to  Himself:  their  household  gods  are 
taken  away  one  after  a*n other;  "Their  strength,  the 
joy  of  their  glory,  the  desire  of  their  eyes,  and  that 
whereupon  they  have  set  their  minds,  their  sons  and 
their  daughters,"'  and  sometimes  the  last  and  dearest 
idol  of  their  home,  must  needs  be  laid  in  the  grave 
before  they  will  give  their  hearts  to  God. 

Many  of  the  saints  were  born  and  brought  into  the 
kingdom  through  much  tribulation:  "1  have  chosen 
thee  in  the  furnace  of  affliction."^     Before  the  inva- 

1  II  Clii'on.  xxxiii.  10-13.      2  Ezek.  xxiv.  25.     3  isa.  xlviii.  10. 


THE    THORN  IN  THE  FLESH.  22/ 

sion  of  his  country  by  Napoleon,  the  then  reigning 
emperor  of  Kussia  was  not  a  rehgious  man,  because 
his  mind  was  darkened ;  but  the  burning  of  Moscow 
ilhiminated  his  soul  at  last.  From  that  moment,  he 
learned  to  know  God ;  from  that  moment,  he  became 
another  man,  and  taking  off  his  crown  he  laid  it  at 
the  feet  of  Jesus.  And  when  we  are  convinced  that 
this  is  the  chief  end  of  any  sorrow  that  may  come 
upon  us,  the  blessed  trouble  ought  not  to  be  called 
by  that  black  name. 

"  The  thorn  'tis  painful  but  pleasant  to  me, 
'Tis  the  message  of  mercy,  it  leads  me  to  thee." 

It  makes  no  matter  in  what  form  the  affliction 
comes,  it  is  either  "our  school-master  to  bring  us 
unto  Christ,"^  like  the  law  of  God;  or  else,  like  the 
love  of  God,  it  is  our  Sabbath-school  teacher  to  bring 
us  nearer  to  Christ.  Our  health  may  be  sore  broken, 
our  riches  may  spread  their  undipped  wings  and  fly 
away,  the  floods  of  ungodly  men  may  make  us  afraid; 
and  when  we  are  sinking  down  "in  the  lowest  pit, 
in  the  darkness,  in  the  deeps,"  "^  to  whom  shall  we  go, 
but  to  Jesus,  who  is  the  same  tender-hearted,  sympa- 
thizing Son  of  man  as  when  He  dwelt  among  us: 
"For  we  have  not  a  High  Priest  which  can  not  be 
touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities;  but  was 
in  all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin. 
Let  us  therefore  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace, 
that  Ave  may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in 
time  of  need."^ 

AVe  not  only  learn  to  pray  in  the  time  of  trouble, 
1  Gal.  iii.  24.  2  pg.  Ixxxviii.  6.  3  Heb.  iv.  15,  16. 


228  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

but  we  learn  how  to  pray.  In  offering  up  our  desires 
unto  Gocl,  we  should  be  very  particular.  Oar  prayers 
are  often  altogether  too  general.  They  scatter  widely 
over  the  whole  world,  and  are  powerless  because  they 
are  pointless.  Our  arrows  may  be  taken  from  God's 
own  quiver,  and  feathered  with  the  strongest  faith; 
but  when  Ave  bend  the  bow,  if  we  take  no  sure  and 
certain  aim,  they  will  do  little  or  no  execution.  As 
soon  as  the  thorn  began  to  pierce  Paul,  he  began  to 
pray  for  its  removal,  and  he  prayed  for  it  in  the  most 
particular  manner:  "For  this  thing  I  besought  the 
Lord." 

When  we  are  sufiering  affliction,  it  is  not  sufficient 
merely  to  make  mention  of  it  at  the  mercy-seat;  it 
shoidd  be  the  burden  of  the  message,  and  we  ought 
to  spread  it  out  before  tlie  Lord  in  all  its  length  and 
breadth.  We  should  tell  the  Saviour  when  it  came, 
how  it  came,  how  it  feels,  and  all  about  it.  "For  this 
thing  "  we  should  pray,  being  assured  that  when  Ave 
go  to  the  tlirone  of  grace  on  a  special  errand,  Ave  shall 
ncA^er  come  aAA^ay  empty. 

If  you  Avere  sick,  you  could  hardly  expect  any  help 
from  your  physician  by  telling  him  that  you  Avere  not 
very  Avell,  and  then  neglecting  or  refusing  to  give  the 
symptoms  of  your  disease.  And  this  is  one  great  rea- 
son Avhy  so  many  go  in  vain  to  the  great  Physi- 
cian, they  do  not  tell  Him  all  about  the  hurt  in  the 
heart,  and  they  get  no  heavenly  balm  to  heal  the 
bleeding  Avound.  When  Abraham  learned  that  the 
son  of  the  bondwoman  Avas  not  the  son  of  promise, 
he  prayed  for  him  by  name,  saying,  in  sorrow's  own 


THE    THORN  IN  THE  FLESH.  229 

old  vernacular  of  anguisli:  "0  that  Islimael  might 
live  before  thee !  "  ^  And  tlie  Lord  heard  him  and 
blessed  Ishmael.  AVhen  Peter  was  cast  into  prison 
and  appointed  unto  death,  the  members  of  the  mother 
church  met  together  at  JMark's  mother  s  house  and 
prayed  "unto  Gcj4  for  him";^  and  before  they  sep- 
arated, he  stood  knocking  at  the  door,  and  when  they 
saw  him,  they  were  astonished.  And,  dearly  beloved, 
if  you  are  in  any  trouble  just  take  it  all  to  Jesus,  and 
tell  Him  all  about  it,  and  you  will  be  surprised  to  see 
how  soon  He  will  come  to  your  relief;  and  the  bones 
that  are  broken  will  begin  to  rejoice:  "This  poor  man 
cried,  and  the  Lord  heard  him,  and  saved  him  out  of 
all  his  troubles."^ 

We  learn  also  that  there  should  be  a  limit  to  our 
supplications.  We  may  pray  often,  but  not  always, 
for  the  removal  of  our  sorrows.  The  Master  prayed 
three  times  that  the  cup  might  pass,  and  then  ceased; 
and  the  apostle  prayed  three  times  that  the  thorn 
might  depart,  and  then  ceased.  This  does  not  prove 
that  we  should  be  limited  to  the  same  number  of 
petitions  when  praying  for  the  removal  of  affliction. 
Nevertheless,  it  does  prove  something;  and  when  it 
becomes  plain  that  our  calamities  are  abiding,  we 
ought  straightway  to  submit  to  the  will  of  our  heav- 
enly Father,  who  is  too  wise  to  err  in  any  of  His 
dealings,  and  too  good  to  be  unkind  to  any  of  His 
children.  When  Jesus  knew  that  it  was  not  possible 
for  the  cup  to  pass  from  Him,  with  love  to  God  He 
held  it  fast,  and  with  love  to  man  He  drank  it  all. 
1  Gen.  xvii.  18.  2  Acts  xii.  5.  ^  Ps.  xxxiv.  6. 


230  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

And  when  Paul  discovered  that  the  thorn  must  needs 
abide  with  him  always,  he  more  than  acquiesced  in 
his  infirmity. 

Though  there  may  not  come  to  us  a  messenger 
from  heaven,  nor  a  message  from  the  mercy-seat,  to 
inform  us  that  our  calamities  ar% permanent,  there 
are  other  ways  in  which  we  may  learn  this  fact. 
And  when  we  are  thoroughly  convinced  that  our 
sorrows  must  remain  with  us,  it  would  be  positively 
wicked  to  weary  the  throne  of  grace  any  more  for 
their  removal.  While  his  child  was  yet  alive,  David 
prayed  for  his  recovery:  he  prayed  that  his  child 
might  be  spared,  though  he  knew  that  he  must 
"surely  die.""^  But  when  at  last  the  loved  one  fell 
asleep,  the  king  cheerfully  submitted  to  the  will  of 
his  heavenly  Father. 

And  believing  that  such  overwhelming  afflictions 
are  as  consistent  with  the  divine  paternity  as  Avith 
the  divine  sovereignty,  parents  should  have  a  care 
neither  to  murmur  nor  to  mourn  immoderately  Avhen 
their  little  children  are  taken  away,  lest  haply  they 
be  found  "even  to  fight  against  God,"-  and  against 
themselves  as  well;  for  soon  or  late,  "as  the  vessels 
of  a  potter  shall  they  be  broken  to  shivers,"^  who 
runneth  "upon  the  thick  bosses  of  His  bucklers."* 

In  England,  a  minister  w^as  praying  at  the  bedside 
of  a  sick  child,  and  after  asking  earnestly  for  its  re- 
covery, he  Avent  on  to  say:  "But,  if  thou  hast  other- 
wise ordained,  and  hast  purposed  to  take  this  child 

1  II  Sam.  xii.  14.  2  Acts  v.  39. 

3  Kev.  ii.  27.  4  Job  xv.  26. 


THE    THORN  IN  THE  FLESH.  23 1 

away — "  "0  no,"  interrupted  tlie  mother,  "never; 
0  don't  say  so,  I  can  not  have  it;"  and  after  this 
manner,  more  than  once,  during-  the  prayer,  she  pro- 
tested against  the  sovereign  will  of  God.  The  min- 
ister was  much  grieved  at  this  want  of  submission  to 
God's  most  holy  will.  He  and  that  mother  both  lived 
to  see  that  child  perish  on  the  gallows  by  the  hand 
of  the  hangman,  at  the  age  of  twenty-five :  "Shall  the 
axe  boast  itself  against  him  that  heweth  therewith  ? 
or  shall  the  saw  magnify  itself  against  him  that 
shaketh  it?  as  if  the  rod  should  shake  itself  against 
them  that  lift  it  up,  or  as  if  the  staff  should  lift  up 
itself  as  if  it  were  no  wood."^ 

The  answer  that  Paul  received  to  his  repeated 
prayer,  concerning  the  thorn,  is  worthy  of  special 
remark  and  everlasting  remembrance :  "  He  said  unto 
me,  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee :  for  my  strength 
is  made  perfect  in  weakness."  It  makes  no  matter  in 
what  way  this  SAveet  saying  came  down  from  heaven, 
it  came;  it  came  from  the  kind  and  mighty  Jesus: 
"  He  said  unto  me.  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee." 
This  was  the  answer  to  the  apostle's  earnest  and  re- 
peated prayer;  but  it  was  not  the  answer  that  he 
desired  and  expected.  His  request  was  not  granted 
in  the  precise  form  in  which  it  was  presented. 

There  are  many  ways  in  which  prayer  is  answered. 
Often  the  answer  comes  down  according  to  our  ask- 
ing, and  we  receive  the  very  blessing  that  we  seek. 
After  Samuel  was  born,  his  mother  said,  "  For  this 
child  I  prayed;  and  the  Lord  hath  given  me  my  peti- 
'  Isa.  X.  15. 


232  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

tion  which  I  asked  of  Him."^  We  receive  not  only 
according  to  our  asking,  but  "  exceeding  abundantly 
above  all  that  we  ask  or  think."  ^  Hannah  prayed  for 
one  child,  and  God  gave  her  six;  for  she  had  three 
sons  beside  Samuel  and  two  daughters. 

Not  unfrequently,  we  find  no  relief  in  prayer,  and 
are  tempted  to  think  that  our  request  has  been  de- 
nied; but  it  only  seems  to  be  denied,  because  the 
answer  is  delayed.  When  the  poor  broken-hearted 
Syro-Phenician  woman  came  to  Jesus,  and  prayed  for 
her  dear  little  daughter,  "He  answered  her  not  a 
word,"  ^  and  His  silence  seemed  very  severe.  But 
when  the  disciples  interceded  for  her,  His  answer  to 
them  seemed  severer  still,  "  I  am  not  sent  but  unto 
the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel."  This  might 
have  closed  the  door  of  hope,  but  her  strong  faith 
prompted  her  to  believe  that  the  good  blaster  could 
be  persuaded  to  go  beyond  His  commission,  just  once; 
and  so  she  prayed  on,  saying,  "  Lord,  help  me."  But 
He  said  to  her,  "  It  is  not  meet  to  take  the  children's 
bread  and  cast  it  to  dogs."  And  melting  these  cold 
words  of  contempt,  that  seemed  like  drawn  swords,  in 
the  fire  of  maternal  love,  she  speedily  forged  them 
into  an  argument  that  Christ  could  only  answer  by 
giving  her  all  the  desire  of  her  heart:  "Truth,  Lord; 
yet  the  dogs  eat  of  the  crumbs  which  fall  from  their 
master's  table.  Then  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
her,  0  woman,  great  is  thy  faith:  be  it  unto  thee 
even  as  thou  wilt.  And  her  daughter  was  made 
whole  from  that  very  hour."  * 

1  I  Sam.  i.  27.      ~  Eph.  iii.  20.      s  Mat.  xv.  24.      ^  Mat.  sv.  27,  28. 


THE    THORN  IN  THE  FLESH.  233 

And  then  again,  Avithout  waiting,  we  receive  an 
answer  to  our  prayers  in  peace.  Sometimes  the  ask- 
ing is  anticipated  by  the  answer,  and  the  needed 
supply  is  on  the  Avay  before  the  want  is  quite  ex- 
pressed: "For  thou  preventest  him  Avith  the  blessings 
of  goodness."^  The  door  of  mercy  flies  wide  open  at 
the  first  and  faintest  knock  of  faith;  and  while  the 
petition  is  going  up  to  heaven  on  one  wire  of  our 
spiritual  telegraph,  the  answer  is  coming  down  on  the 
other,  swifter  than  the  swiftest  flash  of  lightning:  "It 
shall  come  to  pass,  that  before  they  call,  I  will  answer; 
and  while  they  are  yet  speaking,  I  will  hear."^ 

But,  perhaps,  in  most  cases  the  answer  is  neither 
antixiipated  nor  delayed;  it  is  only  different  from  the 
expressed  desire.  AVe  ask  for  health,  and  sickness 
comes  upon  us;  we  ask  for  prosperity,  and  adversity 
gathers  round  us.  We  ask  tliat  we  may  be  delivered 
from  some  great  sorrow,  and  we  receive  strength 
to  endure  it.  This  was  Paul's  case  precisely.  He 
prayed  that  the  thorii  might  depart  from  him,  and 
Jesus  said,  "  J\Iy  grace  is  sufficient  for  tliee."'  And 
this  answer  Avas  better  every  way  than  the  one  that 
he  expected;  that  so  where  grief  abounded,  grace 
might  much  more  abound.  The  grace  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  was  of  unspeakable  value  to  the  apostle  after 
he  came  from  heaven.  Had  the  thorn  been  taken 
away,  his  spiritual  pride,  "the  sin  which  dotli  so 
easily  beset,"  ^  would  have  come  back  upon  him  Avith 
the  strength  of  seven  devils;  and  now,  the  tether  that 
kept  him  down  having  been  broken,  he  would  have 
1  Ps.  xxi.  3.  2  isa.  Ixv.  24.  3  Hob.  xii.  1. 


234  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

bounded  aAvay  up  out  of  sight,  like  an  inflated  bal- 
loon on  the  Avings  of  a  whirlwind.  The  Master  knew 
best  what  was  best  for  His  leal-hearted  servant.  He 
saw  that  what  he  Avanted  was  not  for  his  own  good, 
so  instead  of  granting  his  request  literally,  and  tak- 
ing away  the  thorn,  He  gave  him  grace  to  balance 
and  to  bear  it. 

From  which  we  learn  that  our  prayers  are  answered 
often  when  we  think  they  are  not.  We  Avill  suppose 
that  you  are  in  great  afiiiction.  Your  dearest  child 
is  sick.  Morning,  noon,  and  night,  you  pray  for  his 
recovery;  yet  all  the  while  his  cheeks  grow  paler,  his 
pulse  beats  feebler,  and  every  symptom  waxes  worse 
and  worse.  There  seems  to  be  no  answer.  Again 
you  go  to  the  throne  of  grace,  saying,  with  strong 
crying  and  tears,  "  How  long,  0  Lord,  how  long  ?  0 
that  thou  wouldst  rend  the  heavens  and  come  down ! " 
And  while  you  are  pleading  at  the  mercy-seat,  you 
are  called  to  come  quickly  and  see  the  loved  one 
vanish  from  your  view.  There  was  no  answer  to 
your  many  supplications;  you  thought  so;  you  said 
so :  "  When  I  cry  and  shout.  He  shutteth  out  my 
prayer."^  But  yet,  after  all,  it  was  not  so.  There 
was  an  answer  to  your  every  petition,  and  I  trust 
you  Avill  permit  me  to  tell  you  how  the  answer  came 
while  you  were  yet  on  your  knees. 

Your  heavenly  Father  saw  what  you  could  not  see : 

that  it  was  best  for  His  glor}'',  and  your  good,  and 

the  good  of  your  child,  that  your  prayer  should  not 

be  answered  according  to  the  asking,  and  He  made 

J  Lam.  iii.  8. 


777^    THORN  IN  THE  FLESH.  235 

answer  to  correspond  with  your  wants  rather  than 
with  your  wishes.  When  the  child  was  taken  sick, 
you  thought  that  he  might  die;  and  that  painful  per- 
adventure  pierced  through  your  soul  like  "  a  thorn 
in  the  flesh."  You  believed  that  you  could  never 
part  with  such  a  precious  treasure ;  that  it  was  more 
'than  human  nature  could  bear;  that  it  would  break 
your  heart,  and  bring  down  your  gray  hairs  with 
sorrow  to  the  grave. 

But  when  tlie  blow  came,  how  did  you  feel  ?  Tell 
me  truly,  were  you  not  disappointed  at  yourself:  were 
you  not  perfectly  resigned  to  the  will  of  God,  and  so 
sweetly  sustained,  by  His  almighty  grace,  in  your 
sacred  sorrow,  that,  almost  without  mourning,  and 
altogether  without  murmuring,  you  laid  the  dear, 
dead  dust  in  the  place  of  peaceful  rest,  and  "de- 
parted quickly  from  the  sepulchre  with  fear  and  great 
joy."^  And  how  could  this  come  to  pass,  except 
in  answer  to  prayer  ?  This  petition  went  up  to 
heaven:  "  My  Jesus,  my  Jesus,  spare  my  child,  take 
him  not  away!"  And  this  answer  came  down  from 
heaven:  "My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee;"  and  it  was 
sufficient. 

We  learn,  further,  that  a  good  supply  of  grace  is 
the  best  answer  to  any  prayer.  This  may  be  saying 
the  same  thing  over  again ;  nevertheless  we  can  not 
help  dwelling  on  it  a  little  longer.  There  can  be  no 
question  but  that  Paul  was  better  pleased  witli  tlie 
answer  of  grace,  than  he  Avould  have  been  with  the 
answer  he  expected.  He  understood  the  Saviour's 
'  Mat.  xxviii.  8. 


236  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

meaning  perfectly,  that  thongli  the  thorn  could  not 
be  taken  away  he  should  be  strengthened  to  endure 
it,  and  so  it  would  be  all  the  same,  and  even  better 
than  the  removal  of  the  calamity. 

Let  us  take  again  the  case  of  the  mother  and  her 
child;  and  you  may  be  that  mother.  You  prayed 
fervently  and  frequently,  and  perhaps  with  insubmis- 
sion,  for  the  life  of  your  child.  Did  you  know  what 
you  were  doing?  If  that  loved  one  had  lived,  there 
might  have  been  some  evil  in  store  for  him  all  the 
days  of  his  life;  and  you  were  praying  that  he  might 
be  spared  to  his  own  perpetual  sorrow.  He  might 
have  been  more  than  unfortunate:  he  might  have 
been  exceedingly  wicked  ;  and  you  were  praying 
that  he  might  be  spared  to  plant  the  sharpest  thorns 
in  your  daily  path  and  in  your  dying  pillow:  "A 
foolish  son  is  the  heaviness  of  his  mother."^  David 
had  a  thousand  times  more  trouble  with  liis  son  Ab- 
salom than  he  had  from  the  death  of  the  child  for 
whom  he  prayed  so  earnestly. 

And  it  is  just  so  of  other  things  as  well  as  bereave- 
ment. God  has  often  something  better  in  store  for 
us  than  the  desire  of  our  heart  in  prayer.  We  are 
so  ignorant  of  ourselves,  and  our  needs,  that  Ave 
know  not  what  to  pray  for  as  we  ought.  The  bless- 
ing that  we  seek  might  prove  a  consuming  curse, 
and  it  would  be  better  for  us  to  be  denied.  In  the 
wilderness,  the  Israelites  despised  the  manna  and  de- 
sired meat;  they  loathed  the  light  food,  and  lusted 
for  something  better  than  "the  bread  of  heaven";^ 
1  Prov.  x.  1.  2  Ps.  cv.  40. 


THE    THORN  IN  THE  FLESH  237 

and  the  Lord  sent  tliem  flesh  to  eat,  for  a  wliole 
month;  but  the  plague  came  with  the  quails,  and  so 
many  of  the  people  died  that  the  place  where  they 
were  encamped  became  a  cemetery:  "He  gave  them 
their  request,  but  sent  leanness  into  their  soul."^ 

When  your  children  are  sick,  and  ask  for  meat, 
you  sometimes  give  them  medicine.  It  would  be 
dangerous  to  let  them  have  Avhat  they  desire,  and 
you  give  them  what  you  know  their  condition  de- 
mands. Our  God  is  a  good  Physician ;  He  is  also  a 
tender-hearted  Father,  and  He  supplies  the  Avants 
ratlier  than  the  Avishes  of  His  children.  And  since 
in  every  duty,  in  every  difficulty,  and  in  all  our  dis- 
tresses He  meets  us  with  suitable,  seasonable,  and 
sufficient  grace,  we  ought  to  be  exceeding  glad: 
"AAvake  up,  my  glory;  aAvake,  psaltery  and  harp: 
I  myself  Avill  aAvake  early."  ^ 

It  makes  no  matter  Avhat  the  trial  may  be,  under 
which  Ave  are  suffering,  this  faithful  saying,  "My 
grace  is  sufficient  for  thee,"  comes  doAAm  into  the 
troubled  soul,  like  oil  on  the  raging  sea,  and  imme- 
diately there  is  a  great  calm.  It  may  be  sickness, 
but  Jesus  "  Himself  took  our  infirmities  and  bare  our 
sicknesses."'  He  takes  and  bears  them  still,  and  our- 
selves as  Avell,  with  both  His  hands;  for  Avhen  pros- 
trated on  the  bed  of  languishing,  "  His  left  hand  is 
under  my  head,  and  His  right  hand  doth  embrace 
me."*  It  may  be  adversity,  but  Jesus  is  a  friend 
who  loveth  at  all  times, — the  brother  "born  for  ad- 

1  Ps.  cvi.  15.  2  Ps.  Ivii.  8. 

3  Mat.  viii.  17.  *  Cant.  ii.  6. 


238  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

versity  " ;  ^  and  in  tlie  cloudy  and  dark  day,  He  comes 
to  glorify  our  tears  of  grief,  and  make  the  murky 
atmosphere  of  earth  to  blossom  with  the  best  "music 
of  heaven.  It  may  be  death  itself;  but,  hush !  even 
down  here  in  the  thickest  darkness,  I  hear  the  sweet- 
est bleatings  of  Messiah's  sheep:  "Yea,  though  I  Avalk 
through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear 
no  evil :  for  thou  art  with  me ;  thy  rod  and  thy  staff 
they  comfort  me."^ 

Nowhere,  in  the  word  of  God,  are  we  promised 
more  grace  than  we  need ;  but  everywhere,  and 
under  all  circumstances,  sufficient  grace  is  promised: 
*'My  God  shall  supply  all  your  need."'  The  fountain 
of  blessing  is  full  up  to  the  brim,  and  overflowing, 
and  ever  flowing;  and  w^hen  we  are  most  in  need, 
it  flows  all  the  faster,  like  the  "  streams  from  Leb- 
anon";* that  we  may  have  always  "all  sufficiency  in 
all  things";^  never  enough  and  to  spare,  but  always 
enough. 

When  Napoleon  w^as  about  to  cross  the  Alps,  he 
wearied  himself  in  preparing  the  grand  army  for 
the  grand  expedition.  He  prohibited  the  usual  daily 
parade,  that  the  soldiers  might  be  rested;  and  pro- 
vided for  them  plenty  of  provisions,  that  they  might 
be  strengthened  for  the  perilous  journey ;  he  also  pur- 
chased warm  woollen  garments  for  them,  and  shoes 
that  were  heavy  and  strong.  And  while  the  camp 
was  all  commotion  in  making  ready  for  the  great  un- 
dertaking, their  wdse  commander,  who  seemed  never 

1  Prov.  xvii.  17.  -  Ps.  xxiii.  4.  3  phil.  iv.  19. 

4  Cant.  iv.  15.  ^  \\  Cor.  ix.  8. 


THE    THORN  IN  THE  FLESH.  239 

to  forget  any  thing,  sent  away  secretly  a  large  quan- 
tity of  extra  rations,  which  Avere  left  here  and  there 
along  the  line  of  march;  and  as  wearily  the  brave 
men  climbed  over  the  rocks  and  hills  they  were  fre- 
quently halted  and  refreshed  with  a  bottle  of  wine 
and  a  loaf  of  bread  from  these  special  storehouses 
along  the  way. 

In  like  manner,  Immanuel's  army  is  thoroughly 
furnished  for  crossing  "the  mountains  of  Bether,"^ 
betwixt  this  and  the  better  country.  The  road  is 
crooked  and  rough,  and  the  hills  of  difficulty  are 
higher  and  harder  to  climb  than  the  Alps;  but  the 
Captain  of  our  salvation  has  provided  for  us  shoes 
of  "  iron  and  brass ; "  ^  and  all  along  the  wisely  chosen 
way  there  are  fresh  supplies  of  all  kinds  of  grace. 
There  is  wine  and  milk,  and  manna  and  meat,  and 
all  manner  of  needful  food:  "No  good  thing  will  He 
withhold."^  Blessed  be  His  glorious  name  forever, 
"He  maketh  my  feet  like  hinds'  feet:"*  so  sure  that 
I  shall  not  slip  even  in  slippery  places ;  and  so  swift 
that,  with  Himself  and  like  Himself,  I  shall  go  "  leap- 
ing upon  the  mountains,  skipping  upon  the  hills."  ^ 

Jesus  is  our  companion  in  tribulation,  and  takes 
the  heaviest  end  of  every  cross  that  is  laid  upon  our 
shoulder;  and  our  greatest  extremity  is  the  golden 
opportunity  for  the  manifestation  of  His  almighty 
grace:  "In  the  mount  of  the  Lord  it  shall  be  seen."® 
It  was  "in  the  fourth  watch  of  the  night,""'  that  He 

1  Cant.  ii.  17.         2  Deut.  xxxiii.  25.  3  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  11. 

4  Ps.  xviii.  33.       5  Cant.  ii.  8.  0  Gen.  xxii.  14. 

'  Mat.  xiv.  25. 


240  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES 

went  nnto  His  despairing  disciples  in  the  storm,  tread- 
ing down  the  tempest  with  His  feet,  and,  saying,  so 
sweetl}^,  "Be  of  good  ciieer;  it  is  I;  be  not  afraid." 
It  was  when  they  Avere  drifting,  and  "neither  sun 
nor  stars  in  many  days  appeared,"^  and  no  small 
tempest  lay  on  them,  and  all  hope  that  they  should 
be  saved  Avas  taken  away,  that  He  sent  His  angel  to 
stand  by  His  apostle,  saying,  "Fear  not,  Paul."  Nay, 
more,  it  was  when  Himself  had  fainted  and  fallen  on 
tlie  ground  in  Gethsemane,  and  Avas  sweating  blood, 
that  He  was  lifted  up  in  the  strengthening  angel's 
arms.  And  knowing,  by  such  experience,  that  the 
time  of  need  is  the  set  time  to  show  Himself  friendl}^, 
He  hastens  to  our  help.  Our  frail  life-bark  may  be 
lieavy-ladened,  and  laboring  with  the  storm,  and  hope 
may  have  left  tlie  helm  long  ago;  but  through  the 
snapping  cordage  of  the  sinking  ship  there  comes 
this  charming  cadence  from  beyond  the  sky:  "My 
grace  is  sufficient  for  tliee."  It  is  wafted  to  mine 
ear  with  every  rushing  wind,  and  every  rising  wave. 
What  though  the  man  on  the  lookout  cries,  "breakers 
ahead?  "  there  is  another  and  a  sweeter  voice;  it  is  the 
voice  of  my  Beloved  saying  unto  me,  "  jMy  grace  is 
sufficient  for  thee;"  and,  therefore,  if  not  with  a  fair 
wind  filling  all  the  sails,  and  singing  friends  ahead, 
"having  a  desire  to  depart,"^  still  in  the  little  life-boat, 
or  on  some  floating  fragment  of  the  wreck,  I  shall 
reach  the  shining  shore  at  last:  "So  He  bringeth 
them  unto  their  desired  haven.""  So!  by  tasking  to 
the  utmost  their  strength  and  then-  seamanship,  "toil- 
»  Acts  xzvii.  20.  2  piiU.  j.  23.  3  Ps.  cvli.  30. 


THE    THORN  IN  THE  FLESH.  24 1 

ing  in  rowing"^  along  the  coast  of  old  carnality, 
wliere  the  weather  never  clears,  and  they  are  in 
jeopardy  every  hour;  often  praying  like  Peter,  "Lord 
save  me  " ;  ^  and  always  fearing  like  Paul,  "  Lest  that 
by  any  means,  when  I  have  preached  to  others,  I 
myself  should  be  a  castaway."  ^  So!  by  taking  the 
helm  into  His  own  hand,  and  changing  their  course, 
saying,  "Let  us  go  over  unto  the  other  side; "^  and 
ahnost  immediately  they  are  sailing  among  the  spice 
islands  of  "  a  pure  heart,"  ^  and  "  perfect  love,"  ^  and 
"perfect  peace;"'  Avhere  the  air  is  always  fragrant, 
and  the  Avaters  are  always  quiet,  and  the  skies  are 
always  clear.  So  !  by  mounting  "  up  to  heaven,"  and 
going  "down  again  to  the  depths."  So!  by  reeling  to 
and  fro,  and  staggering  "like  a  drunken  man."  So! 
"some  on  boards,  and  some  on  broken  pieces  of  the 
ship."*  "So  He  bringeth  them  unto  their  desired 
haven."  "And  I  saw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth: 
for  the  first  heaven  and  the  first  earth  were  passed 
away:  and  there  was  no  more  sea."^ 

"  0  bappy  harbor  of  God's  saints  ! 
0  sweet  and  pleasant  soil ! 
In  thee  no  sorrows  can  be  found, 
No  grief,  no  care,  no  toil." 

Paul's  determination  to  glory  in  the  thorn  is  the 
last  thing  in  the  text,  and  it  is  a  very  Avonderful 
thing:  "Most  gladly  therefore  will  I  rather  glory  in 
my  infirmities,  that  the  power  of  Christ  may  rest 
upon  me."  The  greatest  man  that  God  ever  made, 
1  Mark  vi.  48.  2  Mat.  xiv.  30.  3  i  Cor.  ix.  27. 

4  Luke  viii.  22.         s  Ps.  xxiv.  4.  c  i  John  iv.  18. 

''  Isa.  xxvi.  3.  fi  Acts  xxvii.  44.         ^  Eev.  xxi.  1. 

16 


242  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

seems  to  be  laboring  here  to  find  language  strong 
enough  to  express  the  joyful  feelings  of  his  soul: 
gladly, — most  gladly, — most  gladly  therefore  will  I 
rather  glory  in  my  infirmities.  That  piercing  sorrow 
which  brought  the  Saviour  so  near  with  His  over- 
shadowing presence,  His  sustaining  power,  and  His 
comforting  Spirit,  was  the  sweetest  pleasure  in  the 
world  to  Paul,  and  the  brightest  gem  in  the  crown  of 
his  rejoicing.  Just  as  soon  as  the  messenger  of  Satan 
came  to  buffet  him,  the  Lord  of  angels  encamped 
round  about  him ;  and,  through  the  darkness  of  grief, 
he  saw  the  glory  of  the  Lord  in  its  "perfection  of  beau- 
ty; "  and  was  "changed  into  the  same  image,  from 
glory  to  glory,  even  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord."^ 

And,  blessed  be  His  name,  this  same  Jesus,  Avho 
did  so  much  for  "our  beloved  brother  Paul,"^  will  do 
as  much  for  you  and  me:  "  For  in  the  time  of  trouble 
He  shall  hide  me  in  His  pavilion :  in  the  secret  of  His 
tabernacle  shall  He  hide  me ;  He  shall  set  me  up  upon 
a  rock.""  "0  magnify  the  Lord  with  me,  and  let  us 
exalt  His  name  together.""'  The  disposition  to  rejoice 
in  sorrow,  and  glory  in  tribulation,  is  doubtless  the 
highest  attainment  in  the  divine  life,  and  few  there 
be  that  reach  it.  Even  among  the  oldest  and  most 
eminent  saints,  there  are  not  many  who  can  rise  high 
enough  in  holiness  to  say  out  of  a  broken  heart: 
"  JMost  gladly  therefore  will  I  rather  glory  in  my  in- 
firmities, that  the  power  of  Christ  may  rest  upon  me." 

I  enter  a  house  where  a  Christian  is  wasting  away 

1  n  Cor.  iii.  18.  2  n  Pet.  iii.  15. 

3  Ps.  xxvii.  5.  <  Ps.  xxxiv.  3. 


THE  THORN  IN  THE  FLESH.  243 

with  a  "pining  sickness."  I  say  to  him:  "  How  do 
you  feel  to-day,  my  dear  brotlier  ?  Are  you  resigned 
to  the  Avay  in  which  God  is  leading  you  to  Himself; 
and  can  you  say,  '  Thy  will  be  done '  ?  "  There  is  a 
painful  pause;  something  like  a  tear  gathers  in  his 
eye;  and  at  last  he  speaks,  saying,  so  sadly,  "Well, 
yes,  I  am  striving  to  feel  resigned.  Life  is  sweet, 
and  I  would  like  to  get  better;  but  if  I  may  not,  I 
suppose  I  must  submit,  and  say,  'Thy  will  be  done.'" 
I  enter  another  dwelling,  and  find  "an  old  dis- 
ciple"' in  great  distress,  and  almost  distracted.  His 
willingness  to  help  others  over  the  hard  times  in- 
volved him  deep  in  debt;  and  he  has  just  made  an 
assignment  of  his  effects  for  the  benefit  of  his  cred- 
itors, Avho  are  compassing  him  about  like  bees,  to 
suck  the  last  drops  of  honey  from  the  fading  flowers 
of  his  fortune.  His  business  is  utterly  destro^^ed ;  his 
home  is  broken  up;  and  he  is  so  far  advanced  in 
years,  that  he  can  never  expect  to  gain  again  what 
he  has  lost;  besides,  his  health  is  breaking  down  be- 
neath tlie  heavy  burden  he  can  not  bear.  After  sit- 
ting at  his  side  in  silent  S3nnpathy  for  a  little  while, 
I  venture  to  express  the  hope  that  he  is  feeling  rec- 
onciled to  the  dispensation  of  Providence  which  has 
left  him  so  desolate ;  and  his  reply  is  something  like 
this:  "I  am  feeling,  sir,  as  well  as  can  be  expected. 
I  have  seen  better  days,  and  it  is  painful  beyond  all 
telling  to  come  down  from  riches  to  poverty;  but  it 
Avas  not  my  OAvn  fault;  I  could  not  help  it,  and  of 
course  I  must  make  the  best  of  it." 
1  Acts  xxi.  16. 


244  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

I  am  constrained  to  call  at  another  house,  which 
was  once  so  sweet  a  home,  that  it  seemed  like  the 
lower  story  of  heaven;  but  now  the  Avindows  are  all 
darkened,  and  a  piece  of  white  crape  is  hanging  at 
the  door.  In  the  front  parlor  there  is  a  beautifnl 
casket  where  the  baby  sleeps  arrayed  in  "raiment  of 
needlework;"  and  in  the  nursery  there  is  an  empty 
crib,  beside  which  tlie  father  and  mother  are  bowed 
down  Avith  grief  too  great  for  tears.  Kepeating  some 
of  the  precious  promises  Avhich  were  made  for  those 
who  mourn,  I  ask  them  if  they  can  not  say  Avith  the 
patriarch:  "The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken 
aAvay;  blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord."^  And  in 
language,  every  letter  of  Avhich  seems  such  a  tear  as 
only  the  soul  can  shed,  they  ansAver  after  this  man- 
ner: "We  can  say,  the  Lord  gave,  and  Ave  can  say, 
the  Lord  hath  taken  aAvay;  but  Ave  can  not  say, 
blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord.  Oh  no,  Ave  can  not 
bless  the  Lord  for  such  a  bloAv  as  this." 

LeaA^ng  noAv  these  children  of  their  heavenly  Fa- 
ther, AAdio  are  striving  to  feel  resigned  to  His  Avill, 
and  make  the  best  of  it,  and  can  not  bless  His  name, 
let  us  go  together  and  call  upon  another  Christian 
man  Avho  has  lost  his  property,  his  friends,  his  health, 
his  libert}',  and  Avho  is  soon  to  lose  his  life.  He  is  in 
prison ;  he  is  in  the  inner  prison,  so  deep  doAvn  under 
the  ground  that  there  is  no  day  there.  As  Ave  de- 
scend the  stone  stairs,  Ave  must  haA^e  a  care,  lest  Ave 
stumble  and  fall.  The  double  darkness  of  night  is  in 
the  dungeon ;  but,  by  the  light  of  our  lantern,  Ave  can 
1  Job  i.  21. 


THE   THO.RN  IN  THE  FLESH  24p 

see  the  poor  prisoner.  He  is  an  old  man;  but  he 
looks  much  older  than  he  really  is.  He  is  small  of 
stature,  and  thin,  and  pale,  and  sickly.  There  are 
fetters  of  iron  on  his  hands,  and  his  feet  are  chained 
to  the  floor;  because  he  is  under  sentence  of  death, 
and  the  time  of  his  departure  is  at  hand.  For  your 
sakes,  let  me  speak  with  him  for  a  few  moments. 

"Brother  Saul,"^  you  have  had  a  very  sorrowful 
life,  by  all  accounts. 

"Troubled  on  every  side,  yet  not  distressed;  per- 
plexed, but  not  in  despair;  persecuted,  but  not  for- 
saken; cast  down,  but  not  destroyed; "  as  chastened, 
and  not  killed;  as  sorrowful,  yet  always  rejoicing;  as 
poor,  3^et  making  many  rich;  as  having  nothing,  and 
3'et  possessing  all  things.*  What  things  were  gain  to 
me,  those  I  counted  loss  for  Christ.  Yea,  doubtless, 
and  I  count  all  things  but 'loss  for  the  excellency  of 
the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord:  for  whom  I 
have  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things."  * 

"It  seems  that  you  have  had  an  unusual  share  of 
labor  and  sorrow." 

"  In  labors  more  abundant,  in  stripes  above  meas- 
ure, in  prisons  more  frequent,  in  deaths  oft.  Of  the 
Jews  five  times  received  I  forty  stripes  save  one. 
Thrice  was  I  beaten  with  rods,  once  was  I  stoned, 
thrice  I  suffered  shipwreck,  a  night  and  a  day  I  have 
been  in  the  deep;  in  journeyings  often,  in  perils  of 
waters,  in  perils  of  robbers,  in  perils  by  mine  OAvn 
countrymen,  in  perils  by  the  heathen,  in  perils  in  the 

»  Acts  ix.  17.  2  II  Cor.  iv.  8,  9. 

3  II  Cor.  vi.  9,  10.  4  Phil.  iii.  7.  8. 


246  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

city,  in  perils  in  the  wilderness,  in  perils  in  the  sea, 
in  perils  among  false  brethren ;  in  weariness  and  pain- 
fulness,  in  watchings  often,  in  hunger  and  thirst,  in 
fastings  often,  in  cold  and  nakedness.  Beside  those 
things  that  are  without,  that  which  cometh  upon  me 
daily,  the  care  of  all  the  churches."^ 

"And  are  you  not  crushed  with  these  numerous 
and  overwhelming  calamities?" 

"None  of  these  thhigs  move  me,  neither  count  I  my 
life  dear  unto  myself,  so  that  I  might  finish  my  course 
with  joy,  and  the  ministry,  which  I  have  received  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  to  testify  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of 
God.^  I  take  pleasure  in  infirmities,  in  reproaches,  in 
necessities,  in  persecutions,  in  distresses  for  Christ's 
sake;  for  when  I  am  weak,  then  am  I  strong."^ 

"  But  about  thirty  years  ago,  when  you  were 
'  caught  to  the  third  heaven,'  a  special  trouble  came 
upon  you,  and  has  tormented  you  ever  since.     How 


have  you  been  able  to  bear  it  so  long  ?  " 

"  Lest  I  should  be  exalted  above  measure  through 
the  abundance  of  the  revelations,  there  Avas  given  to 
me  a  thorn  in  the  flesh,  the  messenger  of  Satan  to 
buifet  me,  lest  I  should  be  exalted  above  measure. 
For  this  thing  I  besought  the  Lord  thrice,  that  it 
might  depart  from  me.  And  He  said  unto  me.  My 
grace  is  sufficient  for  thee;  for  my  strength  is  made 
perfect  in  weakness.  Most  gladly  therefore  will  I 
rather  glory  in  my  infirmities,  that  the  power  of 
Christ  may  rest  upon  me.""* 

'  II  Cor.  xi.  23-28.  2  Acts  xx.  24. 

3  n  Cor.  xii.  10.  <  II  Cor.  xii.  7-9. 


THE    THORN  IN  THE  FLESH.  247 

Let  us  learn,  therefore,  to  take  joyfully  all  our  afflic- 
tions. TJiere  is  a  mine  of  fine  gold,  there  is  a  bank 
of  great  wealth  in  our  present  sufierings.  They  are 
positive  blessings,  though  they  seem  not  so.  As  a 
part  of  the  special  providence  of  a  wise  and  loving 
Father,  they  can  be  nothing  else  but  blessings;  bless- 
ings in  disguise  they  may  be ;  nevertheless  they  are 
blessings  indeed,  because  they  come  from  God  for 
good;  and  when  rightly  improved  they  develop  in  us 
the  loveliest  traits  of  character.  It  is  a  truth  which 
we  learn  alike  from  revelation  and  experience,  that 
our  sorrows  are  salutary  and  sanctifying:  "When  He 
hath  tried  me,  I  shall  come  forth  as  gold."^  In  the 
burning,  fiery  furnace,  grace  is  beautified  to  glory. 
How  joyfully  then  should  we  take  our  afflictions ! 

And  yet  how  few  there  are  who  are  able  to  do  so. 
Most  people  mourn  in  affliction,  many  murmur,  while 
some  manifest  a  rebellious  spirit.  When  he  was  sick, 
"Hezekiah  wept  sore;"^  wdien  he  was  in  trouble, 
Jacob  said,  "All  these  things  are  against  me;"^  when 
his  gourd  perished,  "it  displeased  Jonah  exceedingly, 
and  he  Avas  very  angry;"*  when  he  went  to  the 
funeral  of  Jerusalem,  Jeremiah  wrote  the  Lamenta- 
tions, beginning  with  these  weeping  words,  "  How 
doth  the  city  sit  solitary,  that  was  full  of  people!"^ 
when  she  was  bereaved  of  her  children,  Rachel  "would 
not  be  comforted ; "  *  by  the  rivers  of  Babylon,  the  cap- 
tive Israelites  hanged  their  harps  on  the  willows,  say- 

>  Job  xxiii.  10.  2  isa.  xxxviii.  3. 

3  Gen.  xlii.  36.  *  Jonah  iv.  1. 

6  Lam.  i.  1.  e  Mat.  ii.  18. 


248  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

ing,  to  those  who  required  of  them  a  song:  "How 
shall  we  sing  the  Lord's  song  in  a  strange  land"?* 

I  need  not  say  that  such  conduct  is  unbecoming  in 
the  children  of  the  kingdom  Avho  have  learned  the 
divine  philosophy  of  suffering.  For  our  own  sake, 
for  the  sake  of  others,  and  for  Christ's  sake,  we  ought 
to  be  still  like  Aaron,  who  "held  liis  peace "^  when  he 
heard  about  the  terrible  death  of  Nadab  and  Abihu ; 
^ve  ought  to  be  silent  like  David,  when  in  some  great 
distress  he  said  to  God,  "  I  Avas  dumb,  I  ojDened  not 
my  mouth;  because  thou  didst  it";^  we  ought  to  bo 
patient  like  Job,  who  cried  up  to  heaven  out  of  the 
deepest  depths:  "Though  He  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust 
in  Him;"*  Ave  ought  to  be  happy,  like  the  Hebrews 
who  "took  joyfully  the  spoiling"'  of  their  goods;  we 
ought  to  be  prayerful,  like  the  disciples  of  the  be- 
headed Baptist,  Avho  "took  up  tlie  body  and  buried 
it,  and  Avent  and  told  Jesus  " ;  ^  Ave  ought  to  be  thank- 
ful like  Paul  and  Silas,  aa^io  "sang  praises"^  in  prison. 

Such  living  epistles  as  these  last  are  better  than 
the  best  sermons.  They  are  the  strongest  arguments 
for  the  truth  of  Christianity,  and  recommend  our  re- 
ligion more  than  the  most  eloquent  preachers.  It 
Avas  the  fine  saying  of  an  ancient  heathen,  that  "A 
good  man  struggling  with  adversity  is  a  sight  for  the 
gods  to  look  at"  The  same  grand  idea  must  have 
been  in  the  mind  of  Paul  Avhen  he  said,  "  I  think  that 
God  hath  set  forth  us  the  apostles  last,  as  it  Avere 

1  Ps.  cxxxvii.  4.  2  Lev.  x.  3.  3  Ps.  xxxix.  9. 

4  Job  xiii.  15.  3  Heb.  x.  34.  e  Mat.  xiv.  12. 

7  Acts  xvi.  25. 


THE    THORN  IN  THE  FLESH  249 

appointed  to  death :  for  we  are  made  a  spectacle  unto 
the  Avorld,  and  to  angels,  and  to  men."  ^ 

Dearly  beloved,  let  us  be  so  contented  with  any 
thing,  so  careful  for  nothing,  so  prayerful  in  every 
thing,  so  patient  in  sickness,  so  hopeful  in  bereave- 
ment, and  so  "exceeding  joyful  in  all  our  tribula- 
tion,"^ that  we  may  win  many  to  Christ  by  our 
example,  and  so  become  to  some  purpose  "  a  spectacle 
unto  the  world,  and  to  angels,  and  to  men." 

"Sing,  0  heavens;  and  be  joyful,  0  earth;  and 
break  forth  into  singing,  0  mountains:  for  the  Lord 
hath  comforted  his  people,  and  will  have  mercy  upon 
his  afflicted."^ 

"Now  unto  Him  that  is  able  to  keep  you  from 
falling,  and  to  present  you  faultless  before  the  pres- 
ence of  His  glory  with  exceeding  joy,  to  the  only 
wise  God  our  Saviour,  be  glory  and  majesty,  domin- 
ion and  power,  both  now  and  ever.     Amen."* 

1  I  Cor.  iv.  9.  2  n  Cor.  vii.  4. 

3  Isa.  xlix.  13.  4  jude  24. 


'  Fathee,  I  know  that  all  my  life 

Is  portioned  out  for  me ; 
And  the  changes  that  are  sure  to  come, 

I  do  not  fear  to  see: 
But  I  ask  thee  for  a  present  mind 

Intent  on  pleasing  thee. 

'  I  ask  thee  for  a  thankful  love, 
Through  constant  watching  wise, 

To  meet  the  glad  with  joyful  smiles, 
And  to  wipe  the  weeping  eyes, 

And  a  heart  at  leisure  from  itself, 
To  soothe  and  sympathize. 


250  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

"I  would  not  have  the  restless  wiQ 
That  hurries  to  and  fro, 

Seeking  for  some  great  thing  to  do 
Or  secret  thing  to  know; 

I  would  be  dealt  with  as  a  child, 
And  guided  where  to  go. 

"Wherever  in  the  world  I  am, 

In  whatsoe'er  estate, 
I  have  a  fellowship  with  hearts, 

To  keep  and  cultivate; 
And  a  work  of  holy  love  to  do, 

For  the  Lord  on  whom  I  wait. 

"I  ask  thee  for  the  daily  strength, 
To  none  that  ask  denied; 
And  a  mind  to  blend  with  outward  life, 

While  keeping  at  thy  side, 
Content  to  fill  a  Uttle  space, 
If  thou  be  glorified. 

"And  if  some  things  I  do  not  ask, 
In  my  cup  of  blessing  be, 

I  would  have  my  spirit  filled  the  more 
With  grateful  love  to  thee — 

More  careful  than  to  serve  thee  much, 
To  please  thee  perfectly. 

"There  are  briers  besetting  every  path, 
That  call  for  patient  care ; 
There  is  a  crook  in  every  lot, 

And  a  need  for  earnest  prayer, 
But  a  lowly  heart  that  leans  on  thee, 
Is  happy  everywhere." 

Anna  L.  Waeing. 


THE   HAPPY    MOURNERS. 


CHAPTER    X. 

*'And  they  departed  quickly  from  the  sepulchre  with  fear  and  great 
Joy,  and  did  run  to  bring  His  disciples  word.'''' — Mat.  xxviii.  8. 

THIS  text  came  to  me  as  I  turned  away  from  the 
tomb  of  a  departed  friend;  and,  like  a  cloud  of 
incense,  it  has  been  flitting  in  the  firmament  of  my 
mind  ever  since.  I  was  weary,  and  it  was  a  word  in 
season ;  I  was  hungry,  and  it  was  sweet  to  my  taste ; 
I  was  in  "  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,"  and  it 
arched  all  that  dark  place  with  a  rainbow  of  radiant 
hope,  which  was  pleasant  to  the  eyes. 

This  precious  passage  of  Scripture  was  not  new  to 
me,  and  yet  it  was  new.  I  had  read  it,  I  know  not 
how  many  times;  and  yet  it  seemed  as  if  I  had  never 
read  it  at  all;  because  the  significance  and  sweetness 
of  its  meaning  were  never  so  manifest  before :  "  Thy 
words  were  found,  and  I  did  eat  them ;  and  thy  word 
was  unto  me  the  joy  and  rejoicing  of  mine  heart."  ^ 
It  was  the  channel  through  which  there  came  to  me 
"  Beauty  for  ashes,  the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning,  tho 
garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit  of  heaviness";"  and 
as  there  is  a  valley  of  Baca  everywhere,  and  a  goodly 
number  of  pilgrims  always  passing  through  it,  I  have 
thought  that  it  might  prove  a  well-spring  of  pleasure 
'  Jer.  XV.  16.  2  Isa.  Ixi.  3. 


254  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

to  some  of  you,  and  so  I  have  taken  it  for  my  present 
theme. 

The  grave  is  generally  regarded  as  a  gloomy  place ; 
a  place  peculiarly  consecrated  to  grief;  a  place  of 
tears  and  trouble  and  great  tribulation.  We  go  there 
in  silence,  and  slowly,  as  grief  always  goes.  The  ser- 
vice at  the  grave  is  more  solemn  than  any  other;  and 
with  sadness  in  our  hearts,  and  on  our  countenances, 
we  take  the  last  long  look  at  the  place  where  the 
loved  one  is  laid,  and  turn  away  weeping  such  tears 
as  only  the  soul  can  shed. 

But,  blessed  be  God,  the  text  tells  us  of  one  grave 
from  which  the  mourners  went  away  with  "  great 
joy."  We  need  not  say  to  you  that  this  was  the 
Saviour  s  grave,  and  that  these  happy  mourners  were 
"Mary  Magdalene,  and  Mary  the  mother  of  James, 
and  Salome."^  Very  early  in  the  morning  of  the 
first  Christian  Sabbath,  and  while  "  it  was  yet  dark,"  ^ 
these  devoted  women  went  unto  the  sepulchre ;  they 
went  slowly,  for  they  were  sad ;  they  went  there  to 
weep,  and  they  did  weep;  they  went  there  bringing 
"sweet  spices"  Avith  which  they  desired  and  expected 
to  embalm  the  dead  body  of  their  dear  Kedeemer.  As 
they  drew  near  the  sacred  place,  "They  said  among 
themselves.  Who  shall  roll  us  away  the  stone  from 
the  door  of  the  sepulchre?  And  when  they  looked, 
they  saw  that  the  stone  was  rolled  away." ^  "For 
the  angel  of  the  Lord  descended  from  heaven,  and 
came  and  rolled  back  the  stone  from  the  door,  and 
sat  upon  it.  His  countenance  was  like  lightning, 
>  Mark  xvi,  1.  2  John  xx.  1.  3  Mark  xvi.  3. 


THE  HAPPY  MOURNERS.  2$^ 

and  his  raiment  wliite  as  snow;  and  for  fear  of  him, 
the  keepers  did  shake,  and  became  as  dead  men."^ 

And  if  tliose  Koman  sokliers,  who  were  strangers 
to  fear,  were  now  trembhng  through  this  very  emo- 
tion, it  is  no  wonder  that  these  three  timid,  sorrow- 
ing, and  unprotected  women  were  also  afraid.  But 
when  the  angel  of  the  sepulchre  addressed  them  in 
these  words  of  good  cheer,  they  Avere  greatly  com- 
forted: "Fear  not  ye:  for  I  know  that  ye  seek  Jesus, 
which  was  crucified.  He  is  not  here :  for  He  is  risen 
as  He  said.    Come  see  the  place  where  the  Lord  lay."^ 

The  Saviour's  tomb  was  empty;  and  that  is  the 
reason  their  sorrow  was  turned  into  joy.  Their  risen 
Redeemer  had  gone  before  them  into  Galilee,  Avhere 
they  would  soon  see  Him  again,  and  their  joy  was 
full.  "They  departed  quickly."  Gladness  goes  quick- 
ly always,  and  can  scarcely  ever  go  quick  enough: 
and,  forgetful  of  their  dignity,  they  "  did  run  to  bring 
His  disciples  word."  "They  departed  quickly  from 
the  sepulchre  with  fear  and  great  joy."  Fear  was 
mingled  with  their  gladness ;  but,  under  the  circum- 
stances, this  was  natural  and  might  have  been  expe- 
rienced without  any  sorrow ;  and  even  if  it  could  not, 
their  joy  was  the  prevailing  emotion ;  for  it  is  said  of 
this  only,  that  it  was  great. 

It  came  too,  so  suddenly,  so  unexpectedly,  and  in 
such  good  measure,  that  it  is  not  strange  if  its  com- 
panion fear  came  with  it,  causing  them  to  rejoice 
with  trembling,  but  yet  to  rejoice  with  exceeding 
great  joy.  And  making  haste,  they  did  run  with 
'  Mat.  xxviii.  2-4.  2  Mat.  xxviii.  5,  6. 


256  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

elated  feet  to  bring  the  glad  tidings  to  the  brethren, 
"as  they  mourned  and  wept,"^  that  their  sorrow,  also, 
might  be  turned  into  joy. 

But  these  happy  mourners  at  the  Master  s  tomb  are 
not  alone  in  their  pleasant  experience.  Contrary  to 
my  expectations,  I  have  felt  the  same;  and,  doubt- 
less, some  of  you  have  felt  the  same,  when  coming 
away  from  the  graves  of  your  departed  friends. 

Come  tiien,  dearly  beloved,  and  let  us  gather  up 
those  crumbs  of  comfort  which  the  blessed  gospel  has 
scattered  around  the  graves  of  those  who  sleep  in 
Jesus;  and  however  small  they  may  seem  when  taken 
separately,  the  sum  of  them  will  be  strong  consolation, 
filling  our  hearts  with  joy  and  gladness,  as  w^e  turn 
away  from  the  place  where  Jesus  was  laid,  and  where 
His  angels  still  are  sitting, — one  at  the  head,  and 
another  at  the  feet  of  every  Christian  in  the  cemetery. 

Our  blessed  and  beloved  dead  shall  live  again.  The 
Saviour's  empty  sepulchre  is  an  eloquent  preacher,  and 
the  anointed  minister  of  sweeter  comfort  than  even 
Barnabas,  "the  son  of  consolation."^  It  has  neither 
speech  nor  language;  yet  its  silent  voice  is  plainly 
heard,  in  many  a  broken  heart,  saying,  so  positively: 
"Thy  dead  men  shall  live,  together  with  my  dead 
body  shall  thej'  arise.  Awake  and  sing,  j-e  that  dwell 
in  dust:  for  thy  dew  is  as  the  dew  of  herbs,  and  the 
earth  shall  cast  out  the  dead."^ 

As  the  resurrection  of  Christ  was  predicted,  by 
Himself,  and  remembered  by  His  enemies,  it  should 
have  been  expected  by  His  Iriends;  but,  strange 
1  Mark  xvi.  10.  2  Acts  iv.  3G.  3  isa.  xxvi.  Vb. 


THE  HAPPY  MOURNERS.  25/ 

to  say,  it  does  not  seem  to  have  been  in  all  their 
thoughts.  Even  those  who  believed  in  Him  with  all 
their  hearts,  and  loved  Him,  as  they  loved  their  own 
lives,  were  not  looking  for  such  an  event.  The  desire 
of  the  Avomen,  and  their  preparations  to  complete  tlie 
embalmment  of  His  broken  body,  is  evidence  enongh 
that  they  were  not  expecting  its  resurrection.  And, 
stranger  still,  though  the  third  day  had  daAvned,  the 
first  sight  of  the  Saviour's  empty  sepulchre  only  in- 
creased their  sorrow;  for  they  supposed  that  it  had 
been  desecrated.  The  weeping  words  of  Mary  Mag- 
dalene, in  which  she  gives  tlie  reason  of  her  grief,  are 
more  bitter  than  her  tears:  "They  have  taken  away 
my  Lord,  and  1  know  not  where  they  have  laid 
Him."^ 

Even  the  apostles,  who  were  chosen  expressly  to 
be  the  Avitnesses  of  the  Saviour's  resurrection,  were 
not  looking  for  the  reappearance  of  their  Master,  as 
they  should  have  been,  and  gave  no  heed  to  the  glad 
tidings  brought  by  the  women:  "Their  words  seemed 
to  them  as  idle  tales,  and  they  believed  them  not."^ 
And  wlien  Jesus  Himself  appeared  among  them,  that 
same  evening,  in  the  upper  room,  "they  were  terri- 
fied and  alfrighted,  and  supposed  that  they  had  seen 
a  spirit ; " '  and  He  was  obliged  to  appeal  to  them  to 
come  and  prove  His  personal  identity:  "Behold  my 
hands  and  my  feet,  that  it  is  I  myself:  handle  me 
and  see ;  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones,  as  ye 
see  me  have."'* 

>  John  XX.  13.  2  Luke  xxiv.  11. 

3  Luke  xxiv.  37.  <  Luke  xxiv.  39. 

17 


258  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

The  suggestion  that  the  Saviour's  friends  Avere 
all  deceived  concerning  the  resurrection  is  scarcely- 
worthy  of  any  serious  consideration,  because  they 
were  persons  of  ordinary  intelligence,  and  were  well 
enough  qualified  to  decide  a  matter  of  fact.  Besides, 
the  Saviour  s  appearances  were  frequent  and  familiar, 
and  were  continued  for  forty  clay^s;  and,  having  so 
"many  infallible  proofs,"^  they  could  not  be  mistaken. 

Still  less  worthy  of  any  serious  consideration  is  the 
kindred  suggestion,  that  they  conspired  together  to 
deceive  others.  It  is  neither  probable  nor  possible 
that  they  would  suffer  the  loss  of  all  things,  and  life 
itself  at  last,  for  the  sake  of  telling  a  lie.  Nothing 
but  the  truth  of  the  resurrection  can  account  for  their 
conduct  in  giving  their  bodies  so  cheerfully  to  be 
beaten,  to  be  beheaded,  and  to  be  burned  for  "Jesus 
and  the  resurrection."^  The  crucifixion  and  the  res- 
urrection of  our  Lord  are  the  most  wonderful  events 
in  the  history  of  the  world;  and  they  are  both  of 
them  equally  well  authenticated;  and  the  last  is  the 
crowning  glory  of  the  first,  and  the  spring  of  all  our 
joys  for  this  world  and  that  which  is  to  come:  "If  in 
this  life  only  we  have  hope  in  Christ,  Ave  are  of  all 
men  most  miserable."' 

It  makes  no  matter  how  many  modern  Sadducees 
may  deny  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  nor  how 
learnedly  they  may  reason  against  it,  because  that 
which  is  actual  is  possible:  "The  thing  that  hath 
been,  it  is  that  which  shall  be;  and  that  which  is 
done  is  that  which   shall  be  done."*     If  one   dead 

1  Acts  i.  3.      2  Acts  xvii.  18.      3  i  Cor.  xv.  19.      ■*  Eccl.  i.  9. 


THE  HAPPY  MOURNERS.  259 

body  has  been  raised  to  life,  every  dead  body  may 
be  raised  to  life;  if  one  grave  has  been  emptied  of 
its  tenant,  every  grave  may  be  emptied  of  its  ten- 
ant: "But  every  man  in  liis  own  order:  Christ  the 
first  fruits;  afterward  they  that  are  Christ's  at  His 
coming."  ^ 

'  But  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  is  more  than  a  pledge, 
it  is  also  the  pattern  of  the  resurrection  of  His  people. 
The  same  body  that  was  born  in  Bethlehem  and  laid 
in  the  manger;  the  sam.e  body  that  aged  Simeon  took 
in  his  arms;  the  same  body  that  was  scourged;  the 
same  body  that  was  pierced;  the  same  body  that  Avas 
buried, — rose  again:  "Thomas,  reach  hither  thy  finger, 
and  behold  my  hands;  and  reach  hither  thy  hand, 
and  thrust  it  into  my  side;  and  be  not  faithless,  but 
believing."  ^ 

So  the  same  body  which  we  noAv  have,  we  shall 
have  again  in  the  resurrection.  It  is  a  well-known 
fact,  that  our  mortal  body  is  constantly  changing, 
and  yet  it  remains  unchanged  all  the  time.  The 
same  night  in  which  my  mother  fell  asleep  in  Jesus, 
she  put  her  arms  around  my  neck,  and  kissed  me. 
She  thought  she  embraced  the  same  body  that  she 
rocked  in  the  cradle  forty  years  before,  and  I  think 
so  too ;  and  yet  it  Avas  not  the  same. 

You  believe — you  can  not  help  believing — that 
your  present  body  is  the  same  that  it  was  years  ago ; 
and  yet  it  is  not  the  same.  It  is  not  the  same  in  size, 
nor  the  same  in  substance,  nor  the  same  in  appear- 
ance; and  those  who  knew  you  only  in  the  days  of 
»  I  Cor,  XV.  23.  2  John  xx.  27. 


260  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

your  youth  would  be  unable  to  recognize  you  now; 
but  you  have  never  doubted  your  own  personal  iden- 
tity, and  you  never  Avill,  neither  in  this  world  nor 
in  that  Avhich  is  to  come. 

We  have  often  thought  that  the  constant  rencAving 
of  "our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle"^  was  so 
ordered,  that  in  the  resurrection  every  man  may  have 
those  particles  of  matter  Avhicli  once  belonged  to  him, 
or  which  belonged  to  him  at  any  time  during  his 
sojourn  here.  Every  person  may  then  have  enough 
for  himself;  and  if  he  has  lived  many  years,  he  will 
have  more  than  enough,  and  Avill  never  miss  those 
parts  of  his  former  self  Avhich  may  have  been  taken 
to  build  the  tabernacle  of  his  neighbor. 

But,  fearing  that  we  may  provoke  you  to  say, 
"Who  is  this  that  darkeneth  counsel  by  Avords  Avith- 
out  knoAvledge,"^  Ave  Aviil  pass,  at  once,  from  the  per- 
plexing philosophy  of  the  resurrection,  and  rest  our 
minds,  and  strengthen  our  faith,  in  the  plain  and  pos- 
itiA^e  declarations  of  the  holy  Scriptures.  I  belicA'-e 
all  that  God  hath  spoken  about  this  great  and  glori- 
ous mystery  of  the  resurrection  of  the  body.  I  love 
to  believe  that  death  is  dead,  and  that  even  the  black 
ashes  of  the  sepulchre  shall  one  day  be  clothed  Avith 
celestial  beaut}^,  by  the  mighty  poAver  of  my  Lord  Je- 
sus, "Who  shall  change  our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be 
fashioned  like  unto  His  glorious  body."' 

In  the  cloudy  and  dark  day  of  bereavement,  when 
the  Avarmest  love  is  spilled  like  Avater  on  the  ground, 
and  the  living  heart  is  buried  in  the  grave,  there 
1  n  Cor.  V.  1.  2  Job  xxxviii.  2.  3  Phil.  iii.  21. 


THE  HAPPY  MOURNERS.  26 1 


13' 


is  nothing'  half  so  comforting.  Weeping,  monrnin 
and  lamentation  may  be  the  portion  of  their  cnp,  who 
are  in  any  darkness  or  any  doubt  about  the  destiny 
of  their  departed  friends:  "But  I  would  not  have  yon 
to  be  ignorant,  brethren,  concerning  tliem  whicli  are 
asleep,  that  ye  sorrow  not,  even  as  others  which  have 
no  hope.  For  if  we  believe  that  Jesus  died  and  rose 
again,  even  so  them  also  which  sleep  in  Jesus  will 
God  bring  with  Him.  Wherefore  comfort  one  an- 
other with  these  words."  ^ 

IMeanwhile,  the  bodies  of  our  beloved  dead  shall 
rest  in  peace.  The  grave  is  not  a  gloomy  prison 
house,  since  Jesus  has  lain  there;  but  a  quiet  habi- 
tation, a  peaceful  resting-place;  and  the  only  place 
of  perfect  rest  in  all  the  world.  To  the  Saviour  it 
was  a  place  of  sweet  repose.  All  His  life  long.  He 
Avas  "a  man  of  sorrows  and  acquainted  Avitli  griefs 
His  true  body,  having  been  made  "in  the  likeness  of 
sinful  flesh,"  ^  was  just  as  susceptible  to  pain  as  our 
own,  and  was  touched  with  the  feeling  of  every  sinless 
infirmity.  He  suffered  hunger  and  thirst,  and  was 
often  overworked  and  weary,  and  felt  the  need  of 
rest  and  sleep  as  much  as  we  ever  do.  From  the 
beginning  to  the  end  of  His  life  upon  earth.  He  was 
poorer  than  the  poorest  of  His  people ;  He  was  poorer 
than  the  poorest  of  His  creatures:  "The  foxes  have 
holes,  and  the  birds  of  the  air  have  nests;  but  the  Sol 
of  man  hath  not  Avhere  to  lay  Plis  head."^ 

Besides,  during  tlie  years  of  His  public  ministr;v 

I  I  Thess.  iv.  13,  14,  18.  2  isa.  liii.  3. 

3  Eom.  viii.  3.  <  Mat.  viii.  20. 


262  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

He  was  persecuted;  and  those  whom  He  came  to 
bless  were  seeking  to  kill  Him ;  and  at  last  they  ac- 
complished their  wicked  design,  by  subjecting  Him  to 
the  most  tormenting  cruelty  that  was  ever  devised. 
They  bound  His  hands;  they  buffeted  Him;  they 
scourged  Him;  they  smote  Him  with  their  hands; 
they  crowned  His  head  with  thorns;  they  smote  Him 
with  a  reed;  He  gave  His  "back  to  the  smiters,"  and 
His  "cheeks  to  them  that  plucked  off  the  hair";^ 
"His  visage  was  so  marred  more  than  any  man,  and 
His  form  more  than  the  sons  of  men."^  They  com- 
pelled Him  to  carry  His  own  cross  up  the  hill  of 
Calvary,  when  He  was  almost  too  weak  to  walk; 
and,  then  and  there,  they  nailed  His  naked  body 
to  the  tree,  driving  the  spikes  through  His  tender 
hands  and  feet;  and,  in  His  dying,  agonizing  thirst, 
"they  gave  Him  vinegar  to  drink  mingled  with  gall."' 
And  after  such  a  sorrowful  life,  and  such  a  lingering, 
long-suflfering  death,  the  Lord  of  glory  was  doubt- 
less glad  when  He  reached  the  grave,  and  laid  His 
broken  body  down  in  that  borrowed,  blessed  bed  of 
peaceful  rest. 

Like  the  Master,  the  servant  is  a  man  of  sorrows, 
and  tears  may  be  his  meat  day  and  night  without 
ceasing;  all  the  way  from  the  cradle  to  the  coffin,  he 
may  be  passing  under  a  cloud,  in  w^hich  the  star  of 
hope  shines  but  dimly,  and  across  which  the  bow  of 
promise  seldom  stretches ;  he  may  be  the  holiest  saint 
in  all  the  world,  but  this  will  not  exempt  him  from 
much  tribulation.  It  was  the  man  after  God's  own 
1  Isa.  1.  G.  e  Isa.  lii.  14.  ^  Mat.  xxvii.  34. 


THE  HAPPY  MOURNERS.  263 

heart  who  said :  "  My  life  is  spent  with  grief,  and  my 
years  with  sighing."^ 

Our  heavenly  Father  had  one  Son  without  sin ;  but 
He  never  had  any  son  or  daughter  without  sorrow; 
and  the  happiest  man  is  not  always  happy:  "Man 
that  is  born  of  a  woman  is  of  few  days  and  full  of 
trouble."'^  And  this  trouble  commences  early  in  life, 
and  continues  late.  The  very  first  cry  of  the  new- 
born babe  is  a  cry  of  pain,  as  if  it  feels  and  fears 
the  evils  of  its  lot,  and  the  dark  shadow  of  the 
future  is  already  resting  on  its  spirit.  As  it  grows 
older,  its  sorrows  increase,  and  the  last  cry,  like  the 
first,  is  a  cry  of  pain,  often  mingled  with  pleasure, 
because  the  weary,  weeping  earth-way  is  coming  to 
an  end:  "A  good  name  is  better  than  precious  oint- 
ment; and  the  day  of  death  than  the  day  of  one's 
birth." ^ 

To  make  us  pure  and  holy,  and  prepare  us  for 
heaven,  we  may  be  cast  into  the  refining  fire  of  a 
pining  sickness,  and  kept  there  on  the  bed  of  lan- 
guishing till  life  itself  loses  all  its  charms  and  be- 
comes the  chief  calamity :  "  So  am  I  made  to  possess 
months  of  vanity,  and  wearisome  nights  are  appointed 
to  me.  When  I  lie  down,  I  say.  When  shall  I  arise, 
and  the  night  be  gone  ?  and  I  am  full  of  tossings  to 
and  fro  unto  the  dawning  of  the  day.  When  I  say, 
!My  bed  shall  comfort  me,  my  couch  shall  ease  my 
complaint:  then  thou  scarest  me  with  dreams,  and 
terrifiest  me  through  visions :  so  that  my  soul  choos- 
eth   strangling   and   death   rather   than   my   life.     I 

»  Ps.  xxxi.  10.  2  Job  xiv.  1.  3  Eccl.  vii.  1. 


264  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

loathe  it ;  I  would  not  live  alway :  let  me  alone ;  for 
my  days  are  vanity."^ 

And  when  the  last  enemy  comes  to  deliver  the  suf- 
fering saint  out  of  all  his  distresses,  there  is  a  wel- 
come ready  for  him.  AVith  gladness  and  rejoicing, 
the  missionary  angel  lifts  the  loved  one  into  the  Sa- 
viour's arms,  where  he  falls  asleep  as  in  a  motlier's 
gentle  bosom:  "For  so  He  giveth  His  beloved  sleep," ^ 
and  in  their  sleep  He  gives  them  sweet  repose.  See 
what  a  change  is  there !  The  Avearied  feet  have 
reached  their  journey's  end;  the  tossing  arms  are 
still;  the  working  hands  are  crossed  upon  a  peaceful 
breast;  the  restless  head  reposes  on  a  painless  pillow; 
the  waking  eyes  are  closed;  and  the  laboring  heart 
has  ceased  to  beat.  The  features,  too,  have  lost  every 
expression  of  anxiety,  and  present  only  the  appear- 
ance of  perfect  heavenly  rest. 

And  when  we  look  at  such  a  blessed  change  as 
this,  is  it  not  joyful  to  know  that  the  weary,  worn- 
out  tabernacle  is  taken  down  at  last  and  laid  away 
in  its  calm  retreat.  Its  toils  are  all  ended;  its  tears 
are  all  shed;  its  troubles  are  all  past:  "And  I  heard 
a  voice  from  heaven  saying  unto  me,  Write,  Blessed 
are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth : 
Yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their 
labors;  and  their  works  do  follow  them."'  Yes,  and 
I  heard  another  voice  from  heaven  saying,  concerning 
the  grave:  " There  the  wicked  cease  from  troubling; 
and  there  the  weary  be  at  rest."  * 

1  Job  vii.  3,  4,  13-16.  2  Ps.  cxxvii.  2. 

3  Eev.  xiv.  13.  ■*  Job  iii.  17. 


THE  HAPPY  MOURNERS.  265 

And,  better  still  than  all.  beside,  every  golden  street 
of  the  New  Jerusalem  begins  in  the  grave:  "Oh  tliat 
thou  wouldst  hide  me  in  the  grave,  that  thou  wouldst 
keep  me  secret,  until  thy  wrath  be  past,  that  thou 
wouldst  appoint  me  a  set  time,  and  remember  me ! 
If  a  man  die,  shall  he  live  again  ?  all  the  days  of  my 
appointed  time  will  I  wait,  till  my  change  come. 
Thou  shalt  call,  and  I  will  answer  thee:  thou  Avilt 
have  a  desire  to  the  work  of  thine  hands." ^  "Thou 
wilt  show  me  the  path  of  life :  in  thy  presence  is  ful- 
ness of  joy;  at  thy  right  hand  there  are  pleasures  for 
evermore."  ^ 

Tlie  spirits  of  our  departed  Christian  friends  are 
gone  to  God.  Just  as  He  was  expiring  on  the  cross, 
Jesus  said,  "  Father,  into  thy  hands  I  commend  my 
spirit:  and  having  said  thus  He  gave  up  the  ghost." ^ 
And,  though  He  was  buried  immediately,  before  His 
body  was  laid  in  Joseph's  sepulchre.  His  soul  was 
safe  in  His  Father's  house.  And  the  same  is  true  of 
every  saint :  before  the  body  is  buried  in  the  grave, 
the  soul  has  reached  the  realms  of  glory.  We  leave 
nothing  in  the  tomb,  but  the  earthly  house ;  its  noble 
inhabitant  is  not  there,  and  never  will  be  there,  till 
the  morning  of  the  first  resurrection.  The  house  left 
desolate  will  be  dissolved  and  return  to  its  original 
dust;  but  the  soul  was  never  dust  and  never  will  be 
dust:  it  never  dies,  it  can  not  die.  It  came  direct 
from  heaven,  and  as  soon  as  it  escapes  from  its  sliift- 
ing   shelter   tent,   it   flies   away  to   its  native   land: 

1  Job  xiv.  13-15.  2  Ps.  xvi.  11. 

3  Luke  xxiii.  46. 


266  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

"  Willing  rather  to  be  absent  from  the  body,  and  to 
be  present  with  the  Lord."  ^ 

The  body  is  a  material  thing;  we  see  it,  and  feel  it, 
and  follow  it  to  the  place  of  peace,  and  bury  it  out  of 
sight,  and  mark  the  sacred  spot  with  marble.  But 
who  can  see  or  feel  or  follow  the  soul  as  it  soars  aAvay 
on  its  immortal  wings  to  God  Avho  gave  it?  And  yet 
how  natural  it  is  for  us  to  ask.  Where  has  the  spirit 
gone?  It  was  here  a  while  ago,  but  it  is  not  here 
now.     Where  is  it  ? 

"My  thoughts  pursue  it  where  it  flies, 
And  trace  its  wondrous  way  ! " 

If  the  sons  of  the  prophets  spent  "three  days"^  in 
searching  for  their  master  Elijah,  after  he  went  to 
heaven,  and  committed  no  sin,  if  the  holy  women 
spoken  of  in  the  text  went  unto  the  sepulchre  looking 
for  the  body  of  their  Saviour,  and  were  blessed  in  so 
doing,  then,  surely,  Ave  may  inquire  reverently  con- 
cerning the  soul  when  separated  from  its  tabernacle, 
saying,  Where  is  it,  and  what  is  its  experience  ? 

In  the  Westminster  Catechism,  these  questions  are 
answered  in  part,  in  these  well-chosen  words:  "The 
souls  of  believers  are  at  their  death  made  perfect  in 
holiness,  and  do  immediately  pass  into  glory:  and 
their  bodies,  being  still  united  to  Christ,  do  rest  in 
their  graves  till  the  resurrection." 

As  believers  in  Christ,  we  are  better  off  than  we 
sometimes  think  we  are,  for  Ave  have  tAvo  homes :  one 
of  them  is  in  this  Avorld,  the  other  is  in  the  Avorld  to 
1  II  Cor.  V.  8.  2  II  Kings  ii.  17. 


THE   HAPPY  MOURNERS.  26/ 

come ;  one  is  "  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle," 
the  other  is  "a  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in 
the  heavens;"^  and  that  change  which  we  call  death 
is  an  immediate  transition  from  the  one  to  the  other; 
and  the  last  is  better  than  the  first,  and  more  to  be 
desired.  "Therefore  we  are  always  confident,  know- 
ing that,  whilst  we  are  at  home  in  the  body,  we  are 
absent  from  the  Lord :  for  we  walk  by  faith ;  not  by 
sight:  Ave  are  confident  I  say,  and  willing  rather  to 
be  absent  from  the  body,  and  to  be  present  with  the 
Lord."^ 

When  Stephen  was  stoned,  and  driven  so  roughly 
from  his  earthly  house  to  his  happiest  home  on  high, 
he  "looked  up  steadfastly  into  heaven,  and  saw  the 
glory  of  God,  and  Jesus  standing  on  the  right  hand 
of  God,"^  and  prayed,  saying,  "Lord  Jesus,  receive  my 
spirit;"*  as  if  he  supposed  that  when  his  body  "fell 
asleep,"  his  soul  would  pass  into  the  presence  of  his 
Saviour;  and  I  think  it  did.  "I  sleep  but  ray  heart 
waketh."^ 

But  by  far  the  best  evidence  of  the  truth  of  this 
comforting  thought,  is  found  in  the  language  of  the 
dying  Saviour,  addressed  to  the  penitent  praying  thief, 
who  was  dying  at  His  side:  "Verily  I  say  unto  thee, 
To-day  shalt  thou  be  with   me   in  Paradise."''     Not 

1  n  Cor.  V.  1. 
■  2  «« Being  always  confident  and  knowing  that  whilst  we  are  in  our 
home  in  the  body  we  are  away  from  our  home  in  the  Lord,  for  we 
walk  by  faith  not  by  sight— we  are  still  confident,  and  well  content, 
rather  to  go  from  our  home  in  the  body  and  to  come  to  our  homo 
in  the  Lord"  (11  Cor.  v.  6,  7,  8).— Dean  Alfoed's  Teanslation. 

3  Acts  vii.  55.      <  Acts  vii.  59.     &  Cant.  v.  2.     c  Luke  xxiii.  43. 


268  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

after  the  resurrection,  nor  to-morrow,  but,  "To-day 
shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  Paradise."  As  soon  as  the 
brutal  soldiers  had  broken  his  bones,  he  went  from 
the  cross  to  the  crown,  and  walked  with  Jesus  into 
His  Father  s  house  of  many  mansions. 

What  the  glory  is  into  which  the  Christian  is  re- 
ceived at  death,  we  can  not  tell.  Paul  could  not, 
though  he  had  seen  it  all.  He  was  "caught  up  to 
the  third  heaven ; "  he  went  about  the  streets  of  the 
Lamb-lit  city,  and  along  the  paths  of  the  life-watered 
Paradise;  he  stood  upon  the  mount  of  God;  he  saw 
what  no  mortal  eyes  ever  saw  before,  the  thrones  and 
principalities  and  powers  of  heaven,  and  the  glory  of 
them  all ;  and  when  he  returned  to  the  earth,  he  was 
perfectly  silent  concerning  the  matter  for  more  than 
fourteen  years ;  and  then,  when  he  attempted  to  put 
the  glory  on  his  parchments,  he  failed,  of  course ;  and 
the  pen  fell  from  his  fingers,  for  the  words  which  he 
heard  in  heaven  were  "not  lawful  for  a  man  to  utter." ^ 

The  trouble  is,  that  in  the  time  to  mourn,  we  think 
too  much  about  the  grave  and  its  gloom;  and  too 
little  about  the  gain  and  the  glory  of  the  departed 
one,  who  has  passed  into  the  immediate  presence  of 
Christ,  and  is  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  beatific  vision. 
We  think  the  loved  one  is  lost,  and  laid  in  the  grave, 
when  he  is  neither  lost  nor  lying  there,  but  saved  and 
sanctified  and  glorified  and  singing  the  new  song  in 
the  new  city. 

Yes,  I  speak  it  to  our  shame,  it  is  mainly  because 
we  are  so  slow  of  heart  to  believe  all  that  our  heav- 
1  II  Cor.  xii.  4. 


THE  HAPPY  MOURNERS.  269 

enly  Father  hath  told  us  in  His  word  concerning  our 
departed  Christian  friends,  that  there  is  so  Httle  sweet- 
ness in  the  cnp  of  bereavement.  We  think  only  of 
our  great  loss;  of  our  desolate  home;  and  the  very 
"crown  of  life"^  is  eclipsed  by  the  coffin,  and  the 
glory  excelling  grows  dim  in  the  shadow  of  death. 
We  look  down  too  much  into  our  broken  hearts, 
when  we  ought  to  look  up  to  heaven  at  the  heart 
which,  though  silent  here,  is  bounding  there  with 
joys  that  ma}^  not  be  expressed.  We  fix  our  eyes 
only  on  the  eartliAvard  side  of  the  sepulchre,  and  are 
blinded  by  its  blackness;  but  if  we  would  look  only 
at  its  heavenward  side,  as  we  should,  we  Avould  be 
blinded  with  its  brightness.  If  we  could  go  a  little 
way  with  the  departing  spirit;  if  Ave  could  cross  the 
dark  river ;  if  Ave  could  go  half  Avay  over ;  if  Ave  could 
hear  the  "chariot  of  fire  and  horses  of  fire"^  coming 
doAvn  on  the  other  side ;  if  Ave  could  see  the  legions 
of  angels  gathering  there  to  be  its  convoy  home ;  if 
we  could  run  up  Avith  joy  the  shining  Avay,  and  see 
the  near  and  distant  hills  of  the  better  country,  all 
croAvned  Avith  eternal  glory,  —  Ave  Avould  lay  aside 
every  sign  of  mourning,  and  Avipe  all  our  tears  aAvay; 
and  Avhen  the  dear,  dead  dust  is  buried  out  of  sight, 
Ave  Avould  depart  "  from  the  sepulchre  Avith  fear  and 
great  joy." 

A  minister,  Avhose  house  Avas  situated  on  the  Avest 

bank  of  a  beautiful  river,   Avas   called  to  part  Avitli 

one  of  his  children,  Avho  Avent  to  reside  on  the  other 

shore ;  and  a  few  months  afterwards,  he  Avas  called  to 

1  Rev.  ii.  10.  2  n  Kings  ii.  11. 


270  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

part  with  another  of  his  children,  who  went  over  the 
dark  river  of  death  to  dwell  in  the  green  fields  of 
Paradise.  When  the  burial  service  was  almost  over, 
he  rose  up  beside  the  coffin,  and  said  to  his  friends 
and  neighbors:  "Often  as  I  have  stpod  on  the  borders 
of  this  stream,  and  looked  over  to  the  fair  fields  on 
the  other  shore,  I  have  felt  but  little  interest  in  the 
people  or  the  place  in  full  view  before  me.  The  river 
separates  me  from  them,  and  my  thoughts  and  affec- 
tions were  here.  But  a  few  months  ago,  one  of  my 
children  moved  across  to  the  other  side,  and  took  up 
his  residence  there.  Since  that  time,  my  heart  has 
been  there  also.  In  the  morning  when  I  rise  and 
look  out  toward  the  east,  I  think  of  my  child  who 
is  over  there;  and  again  and  again  through  the  day 
I  think  of  him;  and  the  other  side  of  the  river  is 
always  in  my  thoughts  with  the  child  who  has  gone 
there  to  dwell.  And  now,  since  another  of  my  chil- 
dren has  crossed  the  river  of  death,  and  has  gone  to 
dwell  on  the  other  side  of  life,  my  heart  is  drawn 
out  towards  heaven,  as  it  was  never  drawn  before. 
I  supposed  that  heaven  was  dear  to  me;  that  my 
Father  was  there,  and  my  friends  were  there,  and 
that  I  had  a  great  interest  in  heaven ;  but  I  had  no 
child  there;  now  I  have;  and  I  never  think,  and 
never  shall  think  of  heaven,  but  with  the  memory  of 
that  dear  child  who  is  to  be  among  its  inhabitants 
forever :  '  For  where  your  treasure  is,  there  will  your 
heart  be  also.'" 

When  our  friends  are  gone,  our  communion  is  with 
them  still.     All  the  while  that  the  Savioui-'s  body  was 


THE  HAPPY  MOURNERS.  2/1 

in  the  grave  and  His  soul  was  in  heaven,  He  Avas 
doubtless  thinking  about  His  dear  disciples ;  and  we 
know,  for  certain,  that  they  were  thinking  about 
Him ;  He  was  in  all  their  thouglits  and  on  all  their 
tongues;  for  their  communications  were  "Concerning 
Jesus  of  Nazareth."  ^  And  some  of  them  Avere  pre- 
paring "  sweet  spices  "  ^  for  His  embalmment.  And, 
blessed  be  His  glorious  name  forever,  He  was  so 
anxious  to  come  and  see  them  personally,  and  com- 
fort them,  that  He  shortened  the  "three  days,"  of 
His  appointed  sojourn  in  the  grave,  into  six  and 
thirty   hours. 

I  believe  in  the  communion  of  saints.  Tiiis  article 
of  the  creed  is  not  limited;  and  T  believe  in  it,  in  all 
its  length  and  breadth  and  height  and  depth.  Eow- 
land  Hill  was  not  beside  himself,  when,  after  pray- 
ing at  the  bedside  of  a  departing  saint,  he  rose  from 
his  knees,  and  sent  his  best  love  to  the  four  great 
Johns, — John  the  Baptist,  John  the  Divine,  John 
Knox,  and  John  Bunyan.  He  believed  in  the  com- 
munion of  saints;  and  there  is  something  interest- 
ing in  the  way  in  which  he  proved  the  simplicity  and 
the  sincerity  of  his  faith,  by  sending  his  best  love  to 
some  of  them  in  heaven  whom  he  had  never  seen  on 
earth. 

The  early  Christians  also  believed  in  this  precious 
truth;  for  it  was  their  beautiful  custom  to  observe 
the  anniversary  of  the  death  of  their  departed  friends, 
by  celebrating  the  Lord's  Supper  on  that  day,  in  the 
consciousness  of  an  inseparable  communion  and  fel- 
'  Luke  xxiv.  19.  2  Mark  xvi.  1. 


2/2  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

lowship  with  those  who  were  gone  before  into  the 
better  country;  an  offering  also  Avas  always  laid  on 
the  altar  in  their  name,  as  if  they  were  still  living. 

The  ]\Ioravian  Brethren  have  a  special  "  Easter 
morning  Litany,"  which  is  nsed  only  once  a  year, 
when  they  commemorate  the  Saviour's  resurrection. 
Very  early  in  the  morning  of  that  day,  of  all  the  year 
the  best,  they  gather  together  in  the  church;  and,  as 
it  begins  to  dawn,  led  by  their  minister  they  march 
out  into  "  God's  acre,"  singing  as  they  go.  When 
they  reach  the  holy  ground,  standing  there  among 
the  graves  of  their  departed  brethren,  with  whom 
they  are  still  united,  the  pastor  reads  the  names  of 
those  who  fell  asleep  dm-ing  the  last  twelve  months, 
and  then  the  congregation  of  the  living,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  congregation  of  the  dead,  proceed  with 
the  Easter  Sunday  service,  believing  that  the  two 
congregations  but  one  communion  make.^ 

And  in  some  of  our  own  Reformed  Churches,  every 
time  the  Holy  Supper  is  administered,  first  of  all  men- 
tion is  made  of  the  names  of  those  who  have  been 
called  to  the  "marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb,"  ^  since 
the  last  communion ;  then  the  feast  begins  and  con- 
tinues, as  if  the  absent  ones  were  present.     And  who 

1  "We  poor  sinners  pray,  hear  us,  gracious  Lord  and  God:  and 
keep  us  in  everlasting  fellowship  with  our  brethren,  and  with  our 
sisters,  who  have  entered  into  the  joy  of  the  Lord:  also  with  the 
servants  and  handmaids  of  our  church,  whom  thou  hast  called  home 
in  the  past  year,  and  with  the  whole  church  triumphant;  and  let  us 
rest  together  in  thy  presence  from  our  labors.  Amen." — Extbact 
FEOM  THE  Easter  Moening  Litany. 

2  Kev.  xix.  9. 


THE  HAPPY  mourners:  2/3 

can  say  tliey  are  not  present?  "Seeing  we  also  are 
compassed  about  with  so  great  a  cloud  of  witnesses."  ^ 
We  believe  that  our  sainted  friends  are  often  pres- 
ent with  us;  we  believe  they  are  always  present  with 
us,  in  the  house  and  by  the  way,  when  sleeping  and 
waking.  We  have  been  speaking  of  them  as  if  they 
were  dead,  and  distant  from  us;  but  the  blessed  truth 
is,  that  they  are  neither  dead,  nor  distant  from  us. 
They  went  away  to  come  nearer  to  us ;  and  they  are 
never  absent  from  our  homes  and  hearts.  We  can 
not  hear  the  sweet  music  of  their  noiseless  feet ;  we 
can  not  see  the  viewless  features  of  their  familiar 
faces ;  we  can  not  take  them  gently  by  their  heavenly 
hands,  as  we  would  often  like  to  do;  nevertheless, 
they  are  always  round  about  us,  and  have  an  influ- 
ence over  us  for  good.  "Ye  are  come  unto  Mount 
Sion,  and  unto  the  city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly 
Jerusalem,  and  to  an  innumerable  company  of  angels, 
to  the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first-born, 
which  are  written  in  heaven,  and  to  God  the  Judge 
of  all,  and  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  and 
to  Jesus  the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  and  to 
the  blood  of  sprinkling  that  speaketh  better  things 
than  that  of  Abel."  ^  These  wonderful  words  are  all 
about  heaven;  and  among  the  heavenly  things  to 
which  we  are  already  come  are  these:  "The  spirits 
of  just  men  made  perfect  and  to  Jesus."  We  are 
come  to  our  friends  in  heaven  in  the  same  sense 
in  which  we  are  come  to  Jesus  in  heaven.  We  are 
come  to  Jesus  because  He  is  come  to  us,  and  He  is 

1  Heb.  xii.  1.  2  Heb.  xii.  22-24. 

18 


2/4  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

always  present  with  us  according  to  His  parting 
promise:  "  Lo  I  am  with  you  alway."^  And  so  we 
are  come  to  our  friends  in  heaven,  because  they  are 
come  to  us;  and,  Hke  the  Master,  they  will  never 
leave  us  nor  forsake  us :  and  we  should  be  pardoned 
for  thinking  sometimes  that  they  are  our  guardian 
angels. 

And  not  only  so,  but  we  are  taught  to  believe  that 
our  heavenly  friends  are  exceedingly  interested  in 
every  thing  on  the  earth  pertaining  to  the  kingdom 
of  Christ.  From  the  isle  of  Patmos  the  beloved  disci- 
ple was  permitted  to  look  into  heaven,  and  there  he 
"Saw  under  the  altar  the  souls  of  them  that  were 
slain  for  the  word  of  God,  and  for  the  testimony 
which  they  held:  and  they  cried  with  a  loud  voice, 
saying,  how  long,  0  Lord,  holy  and  true  dost  thou 
not  judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on  them  that  dwell 
on  the  earth  ?  "  ^ 

And  when  Jehoram  reigned  in  Judah,  "  There  came 
a  writing  to  him  from  Elijah  the  prophet,"  ^  reproving 
him  and  predicting  the  "  great  sickness,"  with  which 
he  would  be  smitten,  for  his  great  transgressions. 
But  Jehoram  did  not  reign  in  Judah,  till  after  the 
death  of  Jehoshaphat  his  father,  who  was  living  and 
reigning,  at  the  time  that  "Elijah  went  up  by  a 
whirlwind  into  heaven.""'  The  inevitable  conclusion 
therefore  is,  that  this  letter  came  to  the  king  in  Jeru- 
salem, several  years  after  its  author  had  gone  home 
to  his  Father  s  house.     Whether  it  was  written  by 

J  Mat.  xxviii.  20.  2  Rev.  vi.  9,  10. 

3  II  Cliroii.  xxi.  12.  4  II  Kings  ii.  11. 


THE  HAPPY  MOURNERS.  2/5 

the  prophet  before  or  after  his  translation  is  not  ma- 
terial to  our  present  purpose.  We  admire  the  silence 
of  Scripture  as  well  as  its  simplicity,  and  would  not 
venture  any  vain  speculations  concerning  a  matter 
which  is  so  mysterious.  The  letter  itself  shows  its 
author's  absorbing  interest  in  the  kingdom  of  God 
upon  the  earth,  long  after  he  had  left  the  earth. 
That  majestic  moral  hero,  who  had  been  for  so  many 
years  "The  chariot  of  Israel  and  the  horsemen  there- 
of,"^ could  never  forget  the  cause  which  was  so  near 
and  dear  to  him.  In  this  respect,  his  writing  is  very 
like  those  seven  letters  in  the  book  of  Kevelation, 
which  our  Lord  Jesus  sent  to  "the  seven  churches"^ 
of  Asia,  by  the  hand  of  His  servant  John. 

And,  even  if  this  writing  of  Elijah  came  from 
heaven,  as  we  love  to  believe,  it  is  not  half  so 
strange,  nor  so  significant,  as  that  the  prophet  him- 
self should  come  from  heaven,  as  he  actually  did,  Avhen 
Christ  was  transfigured.  There,  on  the  "  high  moun- 
tain apart,"  ^  we  have  the  most  beautiful  illustration 
of  the  communion  of  saints.  Moses  and  Elijah  were 
there  from  the  church  in  heaven;  Peter  and  James 
and  John  were  there  from  the  church  on  earth ;  and 
Jesus  was  there,  "The  King  in  Ilis  beauty,"^  and  He 
was  all  the  theme  of  His  earthly  friends  and  their 
heavenly  guests:  "And  when  they  had  lifted  up  their 
eyes,  they  saw  no  man  save  Jesus  only."^ 

When  the  fishermen  of  the  Adriatic  Sea  are  out  of 
sight  of  land  in  their  little  boats,  casting  in  the  net, 

»  n  Kings  ii.  12.  2  Rev.  i.  4.  3  Mark  ix.  2. 

4  Isa.  xxxiii.  17.  &  Mat.  xvii.  8. 


276  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

their  loved  and  loving  wives  come  down  to  the  beach 
every  evening  at  sunset,  and  standing  together  there, 
they  sing  the  first  verse  of  some  famihar  hymn. 
Then  they  stop  and  Hsten,  and  in  a  moment  they 
hear  the  second  verse,  as  it  is  sung  to  the  same  tune 
by  their  gallant  liusbands  far  out  at  sea.  And  so  they 
continue  singing,  verse  about,  till  their  evening  hymn 
is  finished;  and  all  are  happy,  because  they  know  that 
all  is  well. 

And  standing  down  here  on  the  shores  of  time,  we 
have  often  thouf>:ht  that  Ave  could  hear  the  music  of 
the  redeemed  in  glory;  and  among  them  there  are 
voices,  that  Ave  almost  think  Ave  knoAv,  chanting  some 
familiar  tune  Avhich  comes  stealing  doAvn  in  charm- 
ing cadences  from  beyond  the  sky.  Hark !  Ave  can 
almost  hear  some  of  the  loA^ed  ones  singing  noAv,  in 
notes  that  are  divine:  "Worthj^  is  the  Lamb  that  AA^as 
slain  to  receiA^e  power,  and  riches,  and  Avisdom,  and 
strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  blessing."  ^  And 
our  hearts  should  be  ready  to  respond,  most  heartily, 
to  their  heavenly  hosannas:  "Unto  Him  that  loved 
■us,  and  Avashed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  OAvn  blood, 
and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and 
His  Father;  to  Him  be  glory  and  dominion  forever 
and  ever."^ 

"Let  saints  below  His  praises  sing, 
With  those  to  glory  gone; 
For  all  the  servants  of  our  King, 
In  heaven  and  earth  are  one." 

We  shall  join  our  blessed  friends  again  in  the  celes- 
i  Rev.  V.  12.  2  Rev,  i.  5,  6. 


THE  HAPPY  MOURNERS.  2// 

tial  country.  When  the  Saviour  was  parting  with 
His  disciples,  they  were  very  sorrowful;  and  He  com- 
forted them  with  the  sweet  assurance  that  they  should 
follow  Him  in  a  little  while:  "Whither  I  go,  thou 
canst  not  follow  me  now;  but  thou  shalt  follow  me 
afterwards."  ^  He  comforted  them  with  the  sweeter 
assurance  that  He  would  come  after  them :  "  I  go  to 
prepare  a  place  for  you.  And  if  I  go  and  prepare  a 
place  for  you,  I  will  come  again  and  receive  you  unto 
myself;  that  where  I  am,  there  ye  may  be  also."^ 

The  grief  of  those  who  have  no  Saviour  is  very 
great  when  they  go  to  the  funeral  of  their  friends, 
because  they  bury  them  in  a  joyless  tomb,  having  no 
hope  of  another  and  a  better  life  beyond.  Death  sep- 
arates them  forever.  They  part  at  the  grave  for  the 
last  time,  and  the  last  of  any  thing  is  sad.  But  Chris- 
tians never  part  for  the  last  time ;  and  when  they  part 
at  the  sepulchre,  it  is  only  for  a  little  season ;  as  when 
we  part  in  the  evening  to  meet  again  the  next  morn- 
ing. The  gospel  gives  us  a  sure  and  certain  hope, 
not  only  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  but  of  the 
resurrection  of  the  body  and  a  happy  reunion  Avith 
those  who  are  not  lost,  but  gone  before.  It  was 
pleasant  to  meet  with  them  here  in  our  father's  house, 
with  the  sad  parting  in  prospect;  but  it  will  be  much 
more  pleasant  to  meet  them  in  our  heavenly  Father's 
house,  where  we  shall  be  ever  with  one  another,  and 
ever  with  the  Lord. 

But  shall  friends  recognize  one  another  in  the  res- 
urrection? I  answer,  yes;  and  it  seems  strange  to 
1  John  xiii.  36.  2  John  xiv.  2,  3. 


278  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

me,  that  there  sliould  be  any  doubt  or  debate  about 
this  question,  which  is  so  plain  that  it  ahnost  answers 
itself.  AVhen  his  dear  little  child  melted  from  his 
embrace,  David  said,  "I  shall  go  to  him";^  and  when 
he  fell  asleep  and  went  to  him,  did  David  knoAv  his 
child  in  heaven  ?  I  think  he  did.  When  Christ  was 
comforting  "Mary  and  her  sister  Martha"  in  their  be- 
reavement. He  said,  "Thy  brother  shall  rise  again";* 
and  when  he  came  up  out  of  the  grave,  did  those  hap- 
py mourners  know  their  only  brother  ?  I  think  they 
did.  At  the  gate  of  Nain,  Avhen  the  Saviour  raised 
the  widow's  son,  the  record  says,  "  He  delivered  him 
to  his  mother";'  did  that  rejoicing  mother  know  her 
only  son  ?  did  she  not  ?  And  when  the  Master  Him- 
self came  forth  from  the  sepulchre.  He  was  still  "this 
same  Jesus";  Mary  recognized  His  voice,  Thomas 
proved  His  personal  identity  by  the  print  of  the  nails, 
and  all  the  disciples  knew  Him  and  rejoiced:  "Then 
were  the  disciples  glad,  when  they  saw  the  Lord."* 

And  in  the  likeness  of  His  own  glorious  body,  His 
saints  shall  rise  again  from  the  dead;  and  in  the  vari- 
ous Avays  in  Avhich  they  know  one  another  now,  they 
shall  know  one  another  hereafter.  Grace  strengthens 
the  tender  ties  of  nature,  and  glory  will  make  them 
stronger  still ;  and  all  those  endearing  friendships 
which  are  formed  sitting  at  the  feet  of  Jesus  shall 
be  everlasting:  "Charity  never  faileth."^ 

How  many  pleasant  family  gatherings  there  will 

1  II  Sam.  xii.  23.  2  John  xi.  23. 

3  Luke  vii,  15.  ■*  John  xx.  20. 

5  I  Cor.  xiii.  8. 


THE  HAPPY  MOURNERS.  2/9 

be  some  day  soon  in  our  heavenly  Father's  house  of 
"many  mansions!"  Husbands  and  wives,  parents 
and  children,  brothers  and  sisters,  shall  meet  again 
in  heaven  :  they  shall  meet  to  part  no  more.  In 
love's  own  country,  and  in  the  same  love-built  man- 
sion, they  shall  meet  again,  and  be  bound  together 
there  in  bonds  that  are  better  than  those  of  angel- 
hood. Behold,  how  this  blessed  hope  makes  a  cor- 
dial of  our  sorrows!  changing  the  bitterest  worm- 
wood into  the  best  wine,  "  that  goeth  down  sweetly, 
causing  the  lips  of  those  that  are  asleep  to  speak."  ^ 
See  how  it  soothes  the  pain  of  parting;  how  it  tri- 
umphs over  death;  and  how  it  gathers  like  a  golden 
halo  round  the  grave  itself,  taking  away  its  victory, 
and  changing  that  gloomiest  cavern  of  earth  into  the 
ver}^  vestibule  of  glory. 

But  we  may  even  hope  to  meet  our  glorified  friends 
before  we  get  to  heaven.  In  going  to  California  by 
the  Pacific  Eailroad,  when  the  train  reaches  a  certain 
point  beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains,  the  conductor 
passes  through  the  cars,  taking  the  name,  the  resi- 
dence, and  the  destination  of  every  passenger.  At 
the  next  station,  he  gives  the  list  to  the  telegraphic 
operator,  who  transmits  it  to  the  city  of  San  Fran- 
cisco ;  and  the  next  day  it  is  published  in  all  the  lead- 
ing papers  of  the  Golden  State.  In  a  little  while, 
fathers  and  mothers  and  brothers  and  sisters  begin  to 
gather  at  the  termination  of  the  road,  and  some  of 
these  waiting  ones  are  so  impatient  to  greet  their 
coming  kindred,  that  they  take  the  first  outward- 
'  Cant.  vii.  9. 


280  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

bound  train  and  meet  tliem  beyond  the  border  of 
their  better  country,  and  with  gladness  and  rejoicing 
they  bring  them  to  their  OAvn  liome. 

Now  we  know  for  certain  that  there  is  a  constant 
communication  between  this  Avorld  and  that  whicii  is 
to  come.  Wlien  "  our  father  Jacob  "  slept  at  Bethel, 
he  saw  "  a  ladder  set  up  on  the  earth,  and  the  top  of 
it  reached  to  heaven,  and  behold  the  angels  of  God 
ascending  and  descending  on  it."^  Jesus  is  greater 
than  "our  father  Jacob,"  and  He  says,  "There  is  joy 
in  the  presence  of  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner 
that  repenteth."  ^  We  know,  also,  that  the  angels  are 
our  servants:  "Are  they  not  all  ministering  spirits, 
sent  forth  to  minister  for  them  who  shall  be  heirs  of 
salvation?"^  And  not  only  so,  but  Avhen  the  time  of 
our  departure  is  at  hand,  some  of  them  will  be  Avait- 
ing  to  bear  us  away  to  the  land  of  pure  delight:  "It 
came  to  pass  that  the  beggar  died,  and  was  carried 
by  the  angels  into  Abraham's  bosom."  ^ 

And  shall  not  the  spirits  of  our  sainted  friends  be 
as  much  interested  in  us  as  the  stranger  angels  ?  Oh 
yes,  they  will !  And  if  these  things  are  so,  what  a 
glorious  welcome  there  will  be  for  us  on  the  other 
side.  God  be  thanked,  we  are  on  our  journey  home ; 
some  of  us  are  almost  there,  and  many  of  us  have 
measured  more  than  half  our  days:  we  have  turned 
the  summit  of  the  Rocky  Mountains;  tlie  mountains 
of  Bether  are  behind  us,  and  the  express  train  is 
going  faster  now  than  ever  before,  because  we  are  on 

1  Gen.  xxviii.  12.  2  Luke  xv.  10. 

3  Heb.  i.  14.  ■*  Luke  xvi.  22. 


THE  HAPPY  MOURNERS.  28 1 

the  down  grade  to  the  New  Jerusalem,  where  all  is 
so  magnificent  that  the  meanest  thing  is  gold.  But 
before  we  get  there,  in  the  border  land  of  Beulah, 
where  the  "  shining  ones  "  do  walk,  we  may  expect  to 
see  our  friends  who  will  come  to  meet  us  and  greet 
us  with  kisses,  and  hail  us  to  our  eternal  home :  "  For 
so  an  entrance  shall  be  ministered  unto  you  abun- 
dantly into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ."  ^ 

Such  were  some  of  my  meditations,  when  coming 
away  from  the  grave  of  a  friend  just  departed.  There 
was  something  splendid  and  sublime  in  the  manner 
of  his  translation.  One  Saturday  evening  he  returned 
from  a  long  journey,  and  the  next  day,  which  was 
the  Lord's  day,  he  silently  stepped  into  the  "chariot 
of  fire,"  and  went  away  in  rapture  to  the  skies:  his 
sudden  death  was  sudden  glory.  He  was  an  aged 
man;  the  days  of  the  years  of  his  pilgrimage  were 
fourscore  and  fourteen  years;  he  was  "an  old  disci- 
ple," ^  too,  for  he  had  followed  the  Master  threescore 
years  and  ten.  He  was  a  man  greatly  beloved;  and 
when  I  saw  something  floating  back  from  the  shining 
way  he  went,  I  prayed  that  his  mantle  might  fall  on 
me ;  for  he  Avas  my  father,  and  I  was  his  Benjamin : 
"Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  let  my 
last  end  be  like  his."  * 

In  many  of  these  precious  truths,  so  plainly  ex- 
pressed, some  of  you  may  have  no  special  interest; 
but  there  is  one  thought  suggested  by  the  text  which 
comes  home  to  every  heart  with  a  power  peculiarly 
1  II  Pet.  i.  11.  2  Acts  xxi.  16.  3  Num.  xxiii.  10. 


282  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

its  own.  There  is  "a  time  to  die:"^  a  time  for  you 
to  die,  and  a  place  for  you  to  be  buried.  There  will 
be  kind  arms  to  hold  you  up  in  the  last  struggle,  and 
dear  hands  to  close  your  eyes,  and  loving  I'riends  to 
folloAV  you  to  the  tomb.  But  how  will  they  depart 
thence?  AA^ill  there  be  any  thing  in  your  past  life, 
any  thing  in  your  dying  experience,  any  thing  in 
your  future  prospects,  which  will  turn  their  sorrow 
into  joy?  What  Avill  they  be  thinking  about,  Avhen 
they  go  to  your  funeral?  and  what  Avill  they  be  talk- 
ing about?  Will  it  be  about  their  great  loss,  and 
your  greater  gain?  Or  will  they  turn  aAvay,  slowly, 
silently,  and  sadly,  from  your  grave,  refusing  to  be 
comforted,  because  you  died  "having  no  hope."^ 

But,  blessed  be  our  long-suffering  God  for  His  spar- 
ing mercy,  your  time  to  die  is  not  yet  fully  come,  and 
you  may  "acquaint  now  thyself  with  Him,  and  be  at 
peace."'  Yes,  you  may  repent  of  sin;  you  may  be- 
lieve in  Jesus;  you  may  set  your  house  in  order. 
And,  dearly  beloved  and  longed-for,  by  all  that  is 
beautiful  in  heaven,  and  by  all  that  is  dreadful  in 
hell,  I  beseech  you  to  do  these  things,  at  once,  with 
all  your  mind  and  might;  and  then,  though  you  die, 
you  shall  live  again;  your  redeemed  body  shall  rest 
in  the  grave;  your  soul  shall  immediately  pass  into 
glory;  your  communion  sliall  still  continue  with  your 
friends  on  the  earth;  and  they,  hoping  to  meet  you 
in  heaven,  and  perhaps  before  they  get  there,  will 
depart  from  your  sepulchre  with  great  joy. 

1  EccL  iii.  2.  2  Eph.  ii  12.  s  job  xxii.  21. 


WAITING  AND   WORKING. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

**  Peter  said  unto  Hivi^  Lord,  why  can  not  I  follow  thee  now?^* 
John  xiii.  37. 

WHEN  a  man  is  drawing  nigh  to  death,  he  does 
•not  so  greatly  care  for  others  as  for  himself. 
The  thoughts  of  his  mind  are  mainly  turned  to  his 
own  personal  preparation  for  the  closing  scene  of  this 
life,  and  the  strange  land  beyond  the  grave  to  which 
he  is  going.  But  in  regard  of  the  man  Christ  Jesus, 
just  the  contrary  was  the  case.  When  He  was  com- 
ing near  to  the  end  of  His  earthly  journey,  and  the 
last  night  had  darkened  round  Him,  He  cared  more 
for  His  chosen  friends  than  for  Himself  He  was  in 
the  upper  room,  and  His  soul  was  exceeding  sorrow- 
ful; nor  is  it  any  wonder,  for  He  was  sitting  down 
under  the  shadow  of  the  cup  of  trembling,  the  crown 
of  thorns,  and  the  cursed  tree;  but,  forgetful  of  Him- 
self, He  commenced  at  once  to  comfort  His  disciples. 
Strange  as  it  may  seem,  the  same  night  in  which 
Jesus  was  betrayed,  He  was  more  concerned  for  His 
followers  than  for  Himself  He  prayed  for  them,  that 
they  might  be  sustained,  through  all  their  fiery  trials, 
and  kept  from  the  evil  that  is  in  the  world.  ^lildly, 
and  in  the  most  gentle  manner.  He  communicated  to 
them  the  sad  tidings  of  His  sufferings.     His  dreadful 


286  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

death  was  softened  down  into  a  departure;  for  He 
spake  of  it,  as  if  He  was  going  away  on  a  journey : 
"Little  children,  yet  a  little  Avhile  I  am  with  yon.  Ye 
shall  seek  me ;  and  as  I  said  unto  the  Jews,  Whither 
I  go,  ye  can  not  come;  so  now  I  say  to  you."^  And 
not  apprehending  the  real  meaning  of  the  Master, 
"Simon  Peter  said  unto  Him,  Lord,  whither  goest 
thou?  Jesus  answered  him,  AVhither  I  go,  thou  canst 
not  follow  me  now;  but  thou  shalt  follow  me  after- 
wards. Peter  said  unto  Him,  Lord,  why  can  not  I 
follow  thee  now?"^  Peter  was  most  truly  and  most 
tenderly  attached  to  the  Saviour,  and  greatly  desired 
to  go  with  Him,  though  he  did  not  know  exactly 
where  the  Master  was  going;  but  though  it  Avere  to 
the  grave,  he  declared  his  readiness  to  die  with  Him : 
"I  will  lay  down  my  life  for  thy  sake." 

From  this  moment,  the  disciples  must  have  man- 
ifested some  uneasiness  concerning  the  things  that 
were  coming  to  pass.  Perhaps  in  the  near  future 
they  caught  glimpses  of  the  cross,  and  their  dear 
Saviour  stretched  upon  it,  and  in  the  distant  future 
some  crosses  for  themselves.  And  what  they  could 
not  see  in  store  for  themselves,  their  Master  saw;  He 
saw  it  all;  the  end  from  the  beginning.  He  saw  a 
sword  for  James,  and  a  cross  for  Peter,  and  another 
cross  for  Andrew,  Peter's  brother,  and  Patmos  for  the 
disciple  whom  He  loved,  and  who  was  then  leaning 
"on  His  breast  at  supper."^  And  yet,  knowing  the 
sorrows  that  were  in  store  for  them.  He  tells  them 
plainly  that  they  can  not  follow  Him  now.  But  Peter 
>  John  xiii.  33.         2  John  xiii.  36,  37.        3  John  xxi.  20. 


'waiting  and  working.  287 

"Wondered  why  not  now?  If  I  am  to  follow  thee  after- 
wards, "Why  can  not  I  follow  thee  now?" 

This  same  question  has  suggested  itself  to  the  minds 
of  more  men  than  the  apostle  Peter.  The  young  con- 
vert, who  has  recently  put  on  the  harness,  is  often 
impatient  to  quit  the  field  of  conflict,  having  "respect 
unto  the  recompense  of  the  reward."^  The  Christian 
pilgrim,  as  he  climbs  the  hill  of  difficulty,  being  weary 
and  foot-sore,  now  and  then  leans  upon  the  top  of 
his  staff,  and  lifts  a  wishful  eye  to  the  celestial  gate. 
And  the  aged  saint,  who  is  almost  there,  finds  him- 
self praying  sometimes  like  one  of  the  Fathers,  and 
saying,  "  Lord,  since  no  man  can  see  thy  face  and 
live,  let  me  die  that  I  may  see  thy  face." 

The  same  sorrows  through  which  the  apostles 
joassed  are  in  store  for  us:  the  same  in  kind,  if 
not  in  degree;  and  as  they  multiply  and  still  in- 
crease, we  may  wonder  many  a  time  why  we  are 
not  permitted  to  go  home  to  our  "Mother  dear  Jeru- 
salem." As  tribulation  abounds,  our  desire  to  get 
quit  of  it  abounds  also;  and  why  not  now?  When 
the  nest  is  stirred  up  and  torn  to  fragments,  we  feel 
just  like  flying  aAvay  to  be  at^rest  in  heaven;  and 
why  not  now  ?  Does  it  give  our  dearest  Father 
great  delight  to  see  His  children  suflering  here  ? 
Does  He  love  to  keep  us  in  the  flaming  furnace? 
Not  so !  our  Father  God  takes  no  pleasure  in  our 
pains,  and  can  not  feed  His  glory  on  our  groans. 
Our  sorrows  are  His  sorrows:  He  sympathizes  with 
us;  He  is  touched  with  a  feeling  of  our  infirmities; 
'  Heb.  si.  23. 


288  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

and  as  we  look  up  through  our  tears  to  the  throne  of 
His  grace,  our  eye  meets  no  other  glance  than  that 
of  tenderness  and  love.  But,  if  this  be  so,  when  we 
are  so  heart-broken  here,  and  so  homesick  for  heaven, 
why  not  send  down  the  "  chariot  of  fire  and  horses 
of  fire  "  ^  and  take  us  home  ?  "  Lord,  why  can  not  I 
follow  thee  now  ?  " 

We  propose  to  answer  this  question  in  part;  and 
as  Ave  pass  along  gathering  up  some  of  the  reasons 
why  we  can  not  be  translated  to  heaven  now,  we 
trust  you  will  be  convinced  that  in  this  long  waiting 
there  is  much  wisdom. 

And,  in  the  beginning,  we  want  you  to  notice,  that 
we  are  not  taken  to  heaven  as  soon  as  we  would  like 
to  go,  that  there  may  be  time  enough  to  test  our  Chris- 
tian experience.  We  cheerfully  confess  that  a  man 
might  receive  pardon  and  justification  and  sanctifi- 
cation  the  same  moment,  and  should  he  die  the  next, 
there  would  be  no  doubt  about  his  destiny.  Pass- 
ing "through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,"  ^  he 
might  be  thoroughly  assured  that  he  was  sustained 
and  comforted  by  the  rod  and  the  stafi"  of  the  good 
Shepherd.  His  personal  experience,  and  the  witness 
of  the  Spirit,  would  convince  him  of  the  blessed  immor- 
tality to  which  he  was  going.  But  while  there  could 
be  no  question  in  his  own  mind,  as  to  whether  it  would 
be  Avell  with  him  in  the  world  to  come,  there  might  be 
many  doubts  in  the  minds  of  those  who  still  survive. 

We  have  only  one  such  case  recorded  in  the  Script- 
ures,— the  case  of  the  dying  thief  The  day  of  his 
1  II  Kings  ii.  11.  2  Ps.  xxiii.  4. 


WAITING  AND    WORKING.  289 

conversion  was  the  day  of  his  coronation.  Christ 
crucified  Avas  once  preached  by  a  crucified  Christ, 
and  that  same  evening  the  Preacher  and  the  hearer 
walked  together  in  Paradise.  There  is  this  one  case, 
that  dying  men  need  not  despair.  There  is  this  one 
case  only,  that  living  men  may  not  presume.  The 
Bible,  our  own  observation,  and  the  observation  of 
others,  constrain  us  to  believe  that  death-bed  repent- 
ances are  rarely,  and  only  in  exceptional  instances, 
genuine. 

Some  persons  have  been  particular  enough  to  keep 
a  record  of  such  cases.  One  of  these  remarks,  that  of 
more  than  a  hundred  such  conversions,  which  came 
under  his  own  observation,  the  subjects  of  which 
were  subsequently  restored  to  health,  only  three  gave 
evidence  of  true  conversion.  Another  says,  that  he 
ministered  to  more  than  three  hundred  inquirers  Avho 
repented  in  prospect  of  death;  but  when  they  Avere 
recovered  from  their  sicknesses,  only  ten  of  them 
gave  any  evidence  that  they  had  been  born  again. 
Our  own  experience  is  this:  having  ministered  to 
several  Avho  seemed  to  be  hopefully  converted,  on 
Avhat  they  thought  might  be  their  dying  bed,  when 
health  and  strength  returned,  we  were  looking  for 
the  "fruits  worthy  of  repentance,"^  but  we  found 
none.  The  last  state  of  every  one  of  them  was  worse 
than  the  first.  They  took  their  second  lease  of  life, 
and  spent  it  in  turning  away  from  that  dear  Friend 
Avho  healed  all  their  diseases. 

And  now,  since  these  things  are  so,  and  they  can 

'  Luke  iii,  8. 
19 


290  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

not  be  denied,  is  it  not  better  that  we  should  be  de- 
tained here  long  enough,  at  least,  to  test  our  religious 
experience  ?  In  this  most  important  matter,  we  may 
be  deceiving  ourselves,  and  it  were  far  better  to  abide 
here  till  we  are  undeceived,  than  to  go  into  eternity 
with  a  lie  in  our  right  hand;  expecting  to  be  re- 
ceived up  into  heaven,  Avlien  our  own  place  is  in  hell. 
And  not  ourselves  only,  Ave  may  deceive  others.  Our 
friends  and  neighbors  may  think  that  we  are  Chris- 
tians when  we  are  not;  and  they  may  be  contented 
to  be  as  good  as  we  are;  and  thus  Ave  may  let  our 
false  light  shine,  like  the  wreckers,  to  lure  poor  souls 
down  to  destruction. 

You  remember  how  the  children  of  Israel  were  kept 
wandering  round  about  in  the  wilderness,  and  how 
long  they  wandered,  and  the  reason  of  it  all;  it  Avas 
to  humble  them,  and  prove  them,  and  to  know  Avhat 
was  in  their  hearts;  and  when  they  Avere  tried  and 
proved,  the  Avheat  Avas  to  the  chaff,  as  two  to  six 
Iiundred  thousand.  And  God's  people  need  proAang 
noAV,  as  much  as  in  the  days  of  old;  and  so,  some- 
times Ave  are  chosen  in  the  furnace  of  affliction,  and 
tried  CA^ery  moment  of  our  lives. 

When  you  plant  a  tree,  3^ou  may  not  be  able  to  tell 
Avhat  kind  of  a  tree  it  Avill  be.  You  may  not  be  able 
to  tell  much  about  it  the  next  month,  nor  the  next 
year;  but  you  let  it  alone,  and  time  Avill  tell:  "  EA^ery 
good  tree  bringeth  forth  good  fruit;  but  a  corrupt 
tree  bringeth  forth  evil  fruit.  Wherefore  by  their 
fruits  ye  shall  knoAv  them."^  When  the  bell-founder 
1  Mat.  Yii.  17,  20. 


WAITING  AND    WORKING.  29 1 

casts  a  bell,  he  does  not  elevate  it  straightway  to  the 
steeple;  but,  first  of  all,  it  is  raised  upon  a  little 
standard  and  tried:  tried  by  ringing,  and  by  blows 
on  every  side;  and  if  a  single  flaw  be  found  in  it,  it 
is  cast  over;  and  when  it  has  been  proved,  and  found 
perfect  in  every  respect,  it  may  be  placed  in  the  toAver 
to  call  the  congregation  together,  and  to  "proclaim 
liberty  throughout  all  the  land  unto  all  the  inhabi- 
tants thereof"^ 

The  Christian  is  never  taken  to  heaven  till  he  is 
proved;  and  it  is  better  tliat  others,  as  Avell  as  him- 
self, should  be  convinced  of  his  godly  sincerity.  They 
are  not  all  sheep  Avho  are  in  sheep's  clothing;  and 
what  seems  to  be  religion  is  sometimes  the  reverse : 
"Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me.  Lord,  Lord,  shall 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven;  but  he  tJiat  doetli 
the  Avill  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  Mfiny  will 
say  to  me  in  that  day,  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  proph- 
esied in  thy  name?  and  in  thy  name  have  cast  out 
devils?  and  in  thy  name  done  many  wonderful  works? 
And  then  will  I  profess  unto  them,  I  never  knew  you: 
depart  from  me,  ye  that  work  iniquity."^ 

AVe  want  you  to  notice,  in  the  next  place,  that  we 
are  not  taken  to  heaven  as  soon  as  we  Avould  like  to 
go,  in  order  that  by  tarrying  here  our  Christian  char- 
acter may  be  developed.  Progress  in  the  divine  life 
is  a  rule  to  Avhicli  there  is  no  exception.  When  we 
are  born  into  this  world,  we  are  babes,  and  if  we 
would  be  perfect  men,  we  must  grow,  hi  like  man- 
ner, when  we  are  born  again  from  above,  we  are 
I  Lev.  XXV.  10.  2  Mat.  vii.  21,  23. 


292  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

babes  in  Christ,  and  if  Ave  would  ever  come  "unto  a 
perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the 
fuhiess  of  Christ,"^  Ave  must  grow.  AVe  must  have 
"  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,"  ^  and  the  sweet  manna, 
and  the  strong  meat,  that  we  may  grow  thereby;  and 
this  growth  is  gradual.  In  the  natural  world  there 
are  many  beautiful  illustrations  of  this  blessed  truth 
which  were  intended  to  aid  our  understanding:  "the 
earth  helped  the  woman."  * 

The  night  does  not  rush  into  the  day  all  at  once. 
The  morning  comes  before  the  day;  it  comes  little  by 
little.  While  it  is  yet  dark,  a  single  streak  of  light 
is  seen  shooting  up  above  the  eastern  horizon,  like 
a  spike  of  glory.  It  is  a  messenger  ray  from  "the 
bright  and  morning  star";  what  the  prophet  calls, 
"  The  morning  spread  upon  the  mountains  " ;  *  the  day 
is  dawning.  Then  the  sun  himself  begins  to  unvail 
his  shining  face,  to  lighten  the  firmament  above,  and 
brighten  the  landscape  below:  "Which  is  as  a  bride- 
groom coming  out  of  his  chamber,  and  rejoiceth  as  a 
strong  man  to  run  a  race";*  rising  higher  and  higher, 
and  shining  brighter  and  brighter,  till  the  perfect  day  is 
come.  What  a  beautiful  commentar}^  Ave  haA-e  here  on 
that  scripture  Avhich  is  the  inspired  image  of  the  Chris- 
tian life:  "The  path  of  the  just  is  as  the  shining  light, 
that  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day."*^ 

You  Avill  see  another  illustration  of  this  truth,  by  a 
glance  at  the  seasons.  The  one  glides  gradually  and 
gracefully  into  the  other.     The  spring  is  only  Avinter 

1  Eph.  iv.  13.  2  I  Pet.  ii.  2.  s  Kev.  xii.  16. 

4  Joel  ii.  2.  6  Ps.  xix.  5.  e  Prov.  iv.  18. 


WAITING  AND    WORKING.  293 

melted,  and  when  it  has  warmed  the  ground,  and 
opened  the  buds,  and  burst  all  the  flowers  into  full 
bloom,  it  passes  gently  over  into  the  summer;  as  the 
youth  grows  into  manhood.  And  then  again,  by 
slow  degrees,  the  singing  summer  advances  into  au- 
tumn, which  is  only  spring  grown  older;  and  when 
you  look  at  the  fields  of  yellow  grain  waving  for  the 
sickle,  if  only  you  will  connect  the  end  with  the 
beginning,  you  will  see  the  Saviour's  own  illustration 
of  the  thought  on  which  we  are  dwelling  now:  "And 
He  said,  So  is  the  kingdom  of  God,  as  if  a  man  should 
cast  seed  in  the  ground;  and  should  sleep,  and  rise 
night  and  day,  and  the  seed  should  spring  and  grow 
up,  he  knowetli  not  how;  first  the  blade,  then  the 
ear,  after  that  the  full  corn  in  the  ear."  ^ 

Such  is  the  development  of  Christian  character: 
"  First  the  blade ; "  such  a  tiny  thing  that  a  little 
child  could  crush  it.  But  see,  it  grows :  it  grows  by 
day ;  it  grows  while  we  are  sleeping ;  till  by  and  by 
the  blade  is  finished  quite,  and  now  the  work  of 
spring  is  done.  "Then  the  ear;"  and  that  is  the 
work  of  summer.  AVith  such  good  help  from  heaven, 
as  dewy  nights,  and  sunny  days,  and  copious  showers 
of  rain,  the  summer  carries  on  the  work  which  spring 
commenced;  and  in  due  time  the  ear  is  rounded,  but 
not  ripened.  "After  that  the  full  corn  in  the  ear;" 
and  that  is  the  Avork  of  autumn — to  fill  up  and  finish 
the  ear,  and  make  it  ripe,  as  well  as  round,  and  ready 
for  the  reaper. 

Now  all  this  takes  place  in  the  experience  of  every 

1  Mark  iv.  26,  27,  28. 


294  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

Christian  man.  You  never  saw  an  car  of  corn  spring- 
ing suddenly  np  out  of  the  ground,  and  you  never 
will.  The  first  thing  is  the  blade,  then  the  ear,  then 
the  fall  corn  in  the  ear.  You  never  saw  a  little  child 
leaping  f]-oin  its  mothers  arms  into  nianliood,  and 
you  never  Avill.  It  is  first  the  babe,  then  the  youtli, 
then  the  man.  And  such  is  the  Avork  of  grace;  and 
so  the  character  of  the  Christian  is  gradually  devel- 
oped, until  at  last  he  is  complete  in  Christ.  Then, 
but  not  till  then,  will  he  be  taken  home. 

And  if  any  of  you  are  Avondering  why  you  are  not 
permitted  to  go  up  out  of  all  tribulation  to-day;  if 
you  are  saying,  like  David  in  the  Psalm,  "Oh  that  I 
had  wings  like  a  dove !  for  then  would  I  fly  away, 
and  be  at  rest;"  or  like  Peter  in  the  text,  "Lord,  why 
can  not  I  folloAv  thee  now  ? "  I  Avill  tell  you  one 
reason  why:  because  you  are  not  ripe  and  ready  to 
be  reaped.  The  husbandman  never  puts  in  tlie  sickle 
till  the  fields  are  white.  It  would  be  folly,  for  which 
there  is  no  name,  to  fill  the  barn  with  soil,  spring 
blades  and  sinnmer  ears.  Only  the  full  corn  is  fit  for 
the  garner.  Even  so,  only  the  complete  Christian  is 
ready  to  be  reaped.  And  if  you  are  so  homesick,  and 
so  exceedingly  anxious  to  be  gone,  you  ought  to  be 
more  diligent  in  getting  ready  to  go.  "Ye  are  God's 
husbandry,"^  and  it  is  your  present  business  to  "grow 
in  grace"-  and  have  "your  fruit  unto  holiness;"^  and 
"when  the  fruit  is  brought  forth,  immediately  He 
putteth  in  the  sickle,  because  the  harvest  is  come."  "* 

»  I  Cor.  iii.  9.  2  II  Pet.  iii.  18. 

3  Kom.  vi.  22.  <  Mark  iv.  29. 


WAITING  AND    WORKING.  295 

It  may  be  worth  while  to  remark,  further,  that 
Christians  are  not  permitted  to  follow  the  Saviour  to 
heaven  now,  because  their  presence  here  is  needed 
for  tlie  preservation  of  the  Avorld.  Though  Avicked 
men  do  not  regard  it  so,  yet,  it  is  a  great  blessing 
to  live  in  a  Christian  land;  to  be  a  member  of  a 
Christian  family;  and  to  have  Christian  friends  and 
neighbors.  It  is  a  blessing  to  hear  the  sound  of  the 
church-going  bell,  though  it  be  never  heeded.  It  is 
something  to  dwell  in  a  city  of  churches,  and  have 
our  houses  under  the  shadow  of  their  heavenward 
pointing  spires.  Property  is  more  valuable  in  this  or 
in  any  city,  because  of  the  Christians  that  are  in  it; 
and  wherever  they  abound,  life  becomes  more  secure, 
an  interest  in  the  public  welfare  increases,  and  society 
takes  on  a  higher,  and  a  better  character :  "  Happy  is 
that  people,  that  is  in  such  a  case :  yea,  happy  is  that 
people,  whose  God  is  the  Lord."  ^ 

Worldly  men  may  be  unwilling  to  acknowledge 
their  great  indebtedness  to  the  presence  of  God's  peo- 
ple. Perhaps  they  do  not  see  it ;  but  they  might  see 
it.  Unconsciously,  however,  do  they  act  it,  in  choos- 
ing rather  godly  neighbors  than  ungodly,  and  doing 
business  with  good  men  rather  than  with  bad.  When 
the  merchant  asked  the  lad  what  he  had  in  his  bun- 
dle, and  learned  that  there  was  a  Bible  there,  he 
hired  him.  When  Jacob  got  tired  of  his  father-in- 
law's  meanness,  and  desired  to  leave  his  service,  that 
he  might  provide  for  his  own  house  also,  "  Laban 
said  unto  him,  I  pray  thee,  if  I  have  found  favor  in 
'  Ps.  cxliv.  15. 


296  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

thine  eyes,  tarry:  for  I  have  learned  by  experience 
that  tiie  Lord  hatli  blessed  me  for  thy  sake."  ^  This 
heathen  man  saw  that  his  Avorldly  goods  had  greatly 
increased  since  Jacob's  coming,  and  tln-ongh  Jacob's 
care,  and,  better  still,  for  Jacob's  sake.  Contrary  to 
the  general  rule,  tlie  older  was  blessed  for  the  sake 
of  the  younger,  the  father-in-law  for  the  sake  of  his 
son-in-law.  When  the  flood  came,  the  Lord  saved 
Noah's  family  for  Noah's  sake.  We  have  no  reason 
to  believe  that  Noah's  wife,  or  his  sons,  or  his  sons' 
wives  were  righteons.  The  husband  and  father  found 
favor  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  for  his  sake,  the  Lord 
said  unto  him,  "  Come  thou  and  all  thy  house  into 
the  ark;  for  thee  have  I  seen  righteous  before  me  in 
this  generation."^ 

And  not  only  are  children  frequently  blessed  and 
beloved  for  the  sake  of  their  fathers;  but,  what  is 
more,  judgments  and  divine  indignation  are  often 
withheld  or  averted  from  the  Avicked  for  the  sake 
of  the  righteous.  When  Solomon  Avent  astray,  the 
threatened  punishment  of  his  great  transgressions  was 
postponed  till  after  his  death,  for  the  sake  of  his  dear 
dead  father:  "I  will  surely  rend  the  kingdom  from 
thee,  and  Avill  give  it  to  thy  servant.  Notwithstand- 
ing, in  thy  days  I  Avill  not  do  it  for  David  thy  father's 
sake;  but  I  will  rend  it  out  of  the  hand  of  thy  son."' 
AVhen  Hezekiah  was  sick,  and  the  holy  city  was  be- 
leaguered by  the  Assyrian  army,  and  its  fall  seemed 
only  a  question  of  time,  the  good  king  was  raised  up 
from  the  bed  on  which  he  was  dying,  fifteen  years 
1  Gen  XXX.  27.         2  Qen.  vii.  1.         s  I  Kings  xi.  11,  12. 


WAITING  AND    WORKING.  297 

were  added  to  his  life,  Jerusalem  was  defended  and 
delivered,  and  the  investing  army  was  destroyed  in 
one  night,  by  one  angel — and  all  "for  my  servant 
David's  sake."  ^  For  tlie  sake  of  Moses,  the  stubborn- 
ness of  the  covenant  peopl-e  was  often  overlooked,  and 
the  long-suiFering  mercy  of  the  Lord  was  multiplied 
unto  them.  For  the  sake  of  ten  righteous  men,  God 
would  have  spared  the  cities  of  the  plain:  "He  said 
I  will  not  destroy  it  for  ten's  sake."^  And  when  Lot 
lingered,  the  kind  angels  took  him  by  the  hand,  and 
his  wife,  and  his  daughters,  "pulling  them  out  of  the 
fire;"^  and  tlie  Lord  of  angels,  pointing  to  the  city 
of  refuge,  said  to  him:  "Haste  thee,  escape  thither; 
for  I  can  not  do  any  thing  till  thou  be  come  thither."* 
Wliat  wonderful  words  are  these !  The  angel  of  the 
covenant,  the  mighty  God,  is  speaking  here,  and  say- 
ing to  his  servant,  "  I  can  not  do  any  thing  till  thou 
be  come  thither." 

But  this  is  not  the  only  case  in  which  the  hands  of 
Omnipotence  have  been  bound  by  the  presence  of  His 
people.  We  are  bold  to  say,  that  in  every  age  the 
unrighteous  owe  the  righteous  a  debt  of  obligation 
which  can  not  be  reckoned  up;  and  it  is  mainly  be- 
cause the  required  ten  are  still  found  in  the  cities  of 
the  plain,  that  the  fiery  showers  are  suspended,  and 
time  is  given  the  impenitent  to  escape  the  impending 
doom. 

There  are  some  infidels  who  are  sensible  men,  and 
help  to  support  our  religion  for  the  sake  of  its  tem- 

»  II  Kings  XX.  6.  2  Gen.  xviii.  32. 

3  Juda  23.  <  Gen.  xix.  22. 


295  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

poral  blessings.  There  are  others  who  are  so  blinded 
by  the  god  of  this  world  that  they  can  not  see  any 
good  resulting  from  the  glorious  gospel ;  and  groping 
about,  like  Samson,  for  the  pillars  of  our  house,  which 
is  from  heaven,  they  would  pull  down  the  building 
of  God,  and  so  bring  swift  destruction  on  themselves. 

The  saints  are  "the  light  of  the  world ";^  and  like 
the  blotting  out  of  the  sun  to  material  things  would 
be  their  extinction  to  all  moral  life.  The  saints  are 
"the  salt  of  the  earth";  ^  and  are  kept  here  for  its 
preservation  from  putrefaction:  let  them  all  be  re- 
moved, and  it  would  soon  become  a  festering,  un- 
clean mass;  a  rotten  world,  reeking  with  its  own 
corruption,  and  a  very  stench  in  Jehovah's  nostrils. 
"  As  a  teil-tree,  and  as  an  oak,  whose  substance  is  in 
them,  when  they  cast  their  leaves;  so  the  holy  seed 
shall  be  the  substance  thereof."  ^ 

It  should  be  observed  once  more,  that  the  people 
of  God  are  not  permitted  to  go  home  to  heaven  im- 
mediately, because  the  "restitution  of  all  things"^ 
depends  in  part  on  their  personal  instrumentality. 
The  Bible  teaches  us  to  believe  that  a  glorious  des- 
tiny is  waiting  for  this  Avorld.  Its  stained  and  time- 
worn  vesture  is  to  be  renewed,  and  glad  and  smiling, 
as  when  first  it  came  fresh  from  its  Maker's  hand,  it 
will  go  forth  again  singing  among  the  stars.  The 
thorns,  the  thistles,  the  trail  of  the  serpent,  and  every 
trace  of  sin  is  to  be  swept  clean  away,  "and  there 
shall  be  no  more  curse."*     "Instead  of  the  thorn  shall 

I  Mat.  V.  14.  2  Mat.  v.  13.  3  isa.  vi.  13. 

4  Acts  iii.  21.  5  Rev.  xxii.  3. 


WAITING  AND    WORKING.  299 

come  up  the  fir-tree,  and  instead  of  the  brier  shall 
come  up  the  myrtle-tree;"^  "and  the  desert  shall  re- 
joice and  blossom  as  the  rose,  it  shall  blossom  abun- 
dantly, and  rejoice  even  with  joy  and  singing."^ 

Poverty,  oppression,  and  suffering  of  every  kind 
shall  be  found  and  felt  and  feared  no  more.  In  all 
the  world  there  shall  be  none  that  lack;  every  yoke 
shall  be  broken,  and  all  the  people  shall  be  perfectly 
happy:  "For  as  the  earth  bringeth  forth  her  bud,  and 
as  the  garden  causeth  the  things  that  are  sown  in  it 
to  spring  forth ;  so  the  Lord  God  will  cause  righteous- 
ness and  praise  to  spring  forth  before  all  nations."' 

The  pestilence  that  Avalketh  in  darkness,  and  the 
destruction  that  wasteth  at  noonday,  making  every 
house  an  hospital,  and  every  garden  a  graveyard, 
shall  be  banished  from  the  globe  forever:  "And 
the  inhabitant  shall  not  say,  I  am  sick:  the  people 
that  dwell  therein  shall  be  forgiven  their  iniquity."* 
"And  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes; 
and  there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow  nor 
crying,  neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain :  for  the 
former  things  are  passed  away."^ 

Wars  shall  cease,  and  there  shall  be  "abundance 
of  peace  so  long  as  the  moon  endureth."^  The  roll 
of  the  mustering  drum  shall  never  be  heard  in  our 
streets,  nor  the  sound  of  the  bugle  on  the  field  of 
battle ;  for  the  harmony  of  the  universal  brotherhood 
shall  never  be  broken  by  an  appeal  to  arms;  and 
all  the  useless  slaughter  weapons  shall  be  hammered 

1  Isa.  Iv.  13.  2  isa.  xxxv.  1,  2.  3  isa.  Ixi.  11. 

4  Isa.  xxxiii.  24.        s  Rev.  xxi.  4.  ^  pg.  Jxxii.  7. 


300  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

into  implements  of  husbandly:  "They  sliall  beat  their 
swords  into  ploughshares,  and  their  spears  into  prun- 
ing-hooks:  nation  shall  not  lift  up  sword  against  na- 
tion, neither  shall  they  learn  war  any  more."  ^ 

A  brighter  sun  shall  shine  in  our  sky  by  day,  and  a 
brighter  moon  by  night:  '-Moreover  the  light  of  the 
moon  shall  be  as  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  the  light 
of  the  sun  shall  be  sevenfold  as  the  light  of  seven 
days:"-  "and  there  shall  be  no  night  tliere."'  The 
years  shall  be  all  one  pentecost;  the  days  all  one 
Sabbath;  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  all  one 
family :  "  And  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord  shall  return 
and  come  to  Zion  witli  songs  and  everlasting  joy  upon 
their  heads:  they  shall  obtain  joy  and  gladness,  and 
sorrow  and  sighing  shall  flee  away.""'  Upon  every 
brow  is  to  be  inscribed,  "  holiness  to  the  Lord ;  "  and 
rising  from  every  heart  to  every  tongue  the  exulting 
song,  "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth 
peace,  good  Avill  toward  men."  ° 

All  material  agents,  all  Avorldly  wisdom,  every  en- 
terprise and  effort  now  limited  or  inspired  by  time 
or  sense,  will  then  become  ennobled,  sanctified,  and 
pointed  with  a  holy  aim  and  end.  All  thought,  all 
emotion,  every  exercise  of  will,  now  so  feeble  and  so 
misdirected  in  their  energy,  emerging  then  from  film 
and  cloud,  to  purer  and  clearer  realms,  will  seek  no 
sublimer  theme  of  contemplation  than  "the  King  in 
His  beauty,""  and  find  no  liigher  field  of  effort  than 
in  giving  expression  to  Llis  laws.     For  the  hastening 

1  Isa.  ii.  4.  2  isa.  xxx.  23.  3  Rev.  xxii.  5. 

*  Isa.  XXXV.  10.  5  Luke  ii.  14.  ^  jga.  xxxiii.  17. 


WAITING  AND    WORKING.  3OI 

on,  elaboration,  and  fulfilment  of  this  promised  time, 
every  true  Christian  is  a  worker  together  with  Christ. 

We  have  seen  how  God's  people  are  kept  here,  not 
only  for  their  own  proving,  but  for  their  own  devel- 
opment and  perfection  in  holiness;  and  rishig  from 
personal  considerations  to  those  that  concern  a  world, 
we  have  seen  them,  also,  the  conservators  of  soci- 
ety, and  the  averters  of  divine  indignation  from  the 
wicked.  AVe  behold  them  now  fulfilling  a  more  glo- 
rious mission,  and  abiding  here  not  merely  as  passive 
means  to  keep  the  world  from  waxing  worse,  but  as 
active,  consecrated,  and  efficient  instruments  to  make 
it  better. 

Earnest  effort  finds  in  this  grand  object  a  field 
broad  enough  for  all  its  energy;  high  intellect,  an 
aim  Avorthy  of  all  its  faculties;  and  the  longing  heart, 
a  satisfaction  for  its  holiest  desires.  It  is  the  sublime 
purpose  of  the  Christian's  life  and  labor,  as  it  will  be 
the  glory  of  his  waiting,  to  make  this  bad  world  bet- 
ter, and  help  to  bring  it,  like  a  Aveary,  long -tossed 
vessel,  freighted  with  its  wealth  of  immortal  souls, 
all  safely  home  to  heaven. 

Full  well  we  know  that  storms  and  angry  waves, 
and  the  lightning's  glare  must  lie  between;  but  the 
end  is  peace,  and  the  haven  to  be  reached  a  quiet 
water  locked  in  by  the  blessed  and  the  better  land. 
Was  it  not  a  cowardly  thing  for  the  crew  of  the  ship 
that  was  bearing  Paul  a  prisoner  to  Rome,  to  let 
down  the  life-boat,  intending  to  steal  away  to  shore  ? 
Above  all  others,  their  presence  was  needed.  Ha.d 
the  prisoners  or  passengers  escaped,  it  would  have 


302  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

mattered  little;  but  the  sailors  were  indispensable  to 
the  working  of  the  ship.  The  saints  are  the  shipmen 
of  the  world.  And  shall  they,  fearful  of  the  rocks 
and  wishing  for  the  day,  be  permitted  to  escape  to 
heaven?  Who  then  would  be  saved  in  the  world- 
wreck  that  would  follow?  Eather  should  they  be 
contented  bravely  to  abide  their  time,  so  long  as 
there  is  any  hope  to  save  all  those  who  sail  with 
them. 

In  the  restoration  of  the  world  to  God,  we  have 
spoken  of  His  people  remaining  here  as  the  agents 
for  the  work.  An  office  and  an  aim  so  glorious  imply 
continuous  life-long  effort,  and  a  patient  faith  endur- 
ing to  the  end.  It  is,  indeed,  the  nature  of  truth  to 
be  the  stern  antagonist  of  error,  and  of  Christian  prin- 
ciple to  wage  holy  war  Avith  sin,  whenever  and  where- 
ever  they  meet;  but  living  tongues  must  wing  the 
words  through  which  error  wounded  dies,  and  living 
men  put  on  and  wear  the  Christian  panoply,  if  ever 
the  final  victory  over  sin  be  gained. 

Not  saints  in  heaven,  but  Christians  here  on  earth, 
are  to  decide  the  battle.  The  church,  the  sacramental 
host,  is  the  army  of  occupation.  Her  every  banner 
flings  out  its  royal  declaration,  "The  earth  is  the 
Lord's;"  and  the  throbbiiig  purpose  of  every  heart 
and  life  is  to  make  this  practically  and  universally 
true.  Every  day  her  converts  are  being  multiplied 
and  her  advance  reported.  But  the  conquest  is  not 
yet  complete,  and  so  long  as  the  sound  of  conflict 
stirs  the  air,  or  the  front  of  the  enemy  looms  up  so 
bold  and  threatening  as  now,  who  of  us  so  base  as  to 


WAITING  AND    WORKING.  303 

ask  relief  from  dutj,  or  turn  his  back  upon  tlie  foe  ? 
No  matter  how  the  battle  may  go,  we  ought  to  endure 
hardness  as  good  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ.  We  may 
be  beaten  lor  the  time  being.  The  Avorld  and  the 
wicked  one  may  be  too  many  and  too  strong  for  us; 
but  though  we  fall  we  shall  conquer  if  we  are  fight- 
ing when  we  fall. 

At  the  battle  of  Waterloo,  the  "old  guard,"  the 
tried  veterans  of  many  a  well-fought  field,  the  pride 
and  hope  of  the  French  army,  had  made  their  last 
charge  in  vain.  The  little  remnant  that  survived  the 
shock,  although  tliey  saw  the  day  was  gone,  disdained 
to  fly,  and  would  not  yield.  "The  old  guard  dies," 
tliey  said,  "  but  never  sui-renders ; "  and  closing  up 
their  thinned  and  broken  raidis,  they  pressed  to  death, 
with  the  same  firm  front  Avith  which  a  hundred  times 
before  they  had  moved  to  victory. 

Such  is  the  soldier  spirit  that  is  Avanted  in  the 
church,  that  the  Avorld  may  be  conquered  for  Christ, 
and  given  to  Him  for  His  inheritance.  And  there 
neA^er  Avas  a  time  Avhen  Christians  Avere  so  much 
needed  as  now.  Whether  Ave  look  to  the  north  or 
south  or  east  or  Avest,  the  fields  are  Avhite  already 
for  the  liarA^est.  EA^ery  AvaA^e  that  breaks  upon  our 
Atlantic  or  Pacific  coast  is  a  cr}',  like  that  Avliich  Paul 
heard  in  a  A^sion  of  tlie  night,  saying,  "Come  over 
into  Macedonia  and  lieJp  us."^ 

There  are  A^oices  from  India  and  China  and  Asia 
and  Africa,  and  from  all  the  islands  of  the  sea.  There 
are  voices  all  around  us  here,  that  rise  from  our  OAvn 
i  Acts  xvi.  9. 


304  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

streets,  and  even  from  our  very  homes.  Not  less 
imploring  is  the  cry  that  early  youth  or  childhood 
makes,  whether  it  comes  from  the  nooks  of  vice, 
which  our  own  civilized  land  contains,  or  from  some 
distant  jungle  of  the  plain.  Not  less  loud  is  the 
voice  with  which  Christianity  pleads  for  benighted 
man,  whether  it  finds  him  in  our  own  busy  streets, 
bowing  all  his  soul  to  mammon  and  all  the  passion 
idols  of  the  day,  or  kneeling  yonder  in  some  dim  old 
pagan  temple  before  a  painted  god. 

And  now,  dearly  beloved,  since  there  is  so  much 
for  you  to  do,  in  making  this  bad  world  better,  ought 
you  not  to  be  willing  to  wait  patiently,  and  work  dil- 
igently, while  you  wait,  bearing  "the  burden  and  heat 
of  the  day  ?  "  ^  You  may  be  heavy  laden  with  labor 
and  sorrow ;  but  when  Aveary  in  well-doing,  and  im- 
patient for  the  rest  and  the  reward,  let  me  ask  you 
to  take  Paul  for  your  pattern,  when  he  said:  "I  am 
in  a  strait  betwixt  two."^  The  balance  is  poised  be- 
tween the  two  worlds — earth  and  heaven.  At  first 
it  seems  to  go  down  on  heaven's  side,  and  it  does: 
"having  a  desire  to  depart,  and  to  be  with  Christ; 
which  is  far  better."  But,  see !  see !  it  comes  bound- 
ing back  again,  like  the  scale  on  which  some  light 
weight  has  suddenly  fallen,  and  the  glory  excelHng 
is  found  wanting  in  comparison  of  labor  for  Christ ! 
"Nevertheless" — what  a  noble  nevertheless ! — "Never- 
theless to  abide  in  the  fiesli  is  more  needful  for  3'ou." 
And  in  all  the  history  of  this  world,  there  is  nothing 
so  grand,  there  is  nothing  so  glorious,  there  is  nothing 
>  Mat.  XX.  12.  2  Phil.  i.  23. 


WAITING  AND    WORKING.  305 

SO  Godlike,  as  that  hard-working,  heart-broken,  and 
homesick  man  with  his  tired  feet  on  the  threshold, 
and  his  trembling  hand  on  the  door  of  heaven,  let- 
ting go  and  turning  away  to  fling  himself  into  the 
thickest  of  the  fight,  to  "spend  and  be  spent  "^  in  his 
Master's  service. 

Toil  on,  then,  0  new-born  soul,  impatient  for  thy 
joy!  each  day  adds  strength  to  holy  purpose;  gives 
growth  to  grace,  and  helps  to  round  thy  early  promise 
into  rich  and  ripe  development. 

Toil  on,  0  weary,  Avay-worn  sufferer!  bear  up,  0 
crushed  and  sorrowing  heart !  thy  bed  of  pain,  thy 
silent  heroism,  thy  patient  Christian  walk,  thy  resig- 
nation, and  thy  grief,  glow  all  unconsciously  to  thee 
with  winning  radiance,  and  fill  the  world  with  life's 
sweetest  fragrance — as  bruised  flowers  with  perfume 
do  the  air. 

0  sailor  saint,  leave  not  the  ship  amid  the  storm  I 
0  soldier  saint,  stay  not  thy  hand  till  the  going  down 
of  the  sun !  Yet  a  little  longer,  and  the  peaceful  shore 
will  rise  above  the  troubled  Avaters.  Yet  a  little  longer, 
and  the  battle  will  be  ended.  Then,  sinking  on  the 
field,  and  knowing  that  the  sound  that  rusheth  by  is 
the  sound  of  victory,  you  can  dying  say  again  like 
Paul:  "I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished 
my  course,  1  have  kept  the  faith :  henceforth  there  is 
laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the 
Lord,  the  righteous  judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day: 
and  not  to  me  only,  but  unto  all  them  also  that  love 
His  appearing."^ 

1  II  Cor.  xii.  15.  2  n  Tim.  iv.  7,  8. 

20 


306  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

0  Lord,  our  Lord,  we  avouIcI  not  forget  that  we  are 
still  in  the  wilderness,  and  exposed  to  dangers  of  the 
wilderness.  Let  it  please  thee  to  hear  lis  in  the  day 
of  trouble,  and  keep  us  as  the  apple  of  thine  eye,  hide 
us  under  the  shadow  of  thy  wings.  AVe  will  rejoice 
in  thy  salvation,  and  in  the  name  of  our  God  we  will 
set  up  our  banners.  The  name  of  the  God  of  Jacob 
defend  us,  and  give  us  the  victory  over  all  our  ene- 
mies. ]\Iake  us  more  thankful  for  the  precious  privi- 
lege of  working  for  Jesus,  and  working  witli  Jesus, 
and  Avaiting  for  Jesus,  more  than  they  that  Avatcli 
for  the  morning.  Gentlest,  sweetest,  kindest  Saviour, 
grant  us  grace  and  strength  every  day  to  live  and 
labor  for  the  advancement  of  thy  cause  and  the  com- 
ing of  thy  kingdom;  and  by  doing  every  thing  in  thy 
dear  name  and  for  thy  dear  glory  may  our  hardest 
work  become  our  holiest  Avorship,  Evermore  make 
us  joyful  in  thee;  may  thy  statutes  be  our  songs  in  the 
house  of  our  pilgrimage,  and  in  the  multitude  of  our 
thoughts  Avithin  us  let  thy  comforts  delight  our  souls. 
Command  thy  lo\dng-kindness  in  the  daytime,  and  in 
the  night  thy  song  shall  be  Avith  us:  and  thus  Avait- 
ing and  Avorking  and  praying  and  praising  Ave  Avill 
greet  thee  at  thy  coming  and  cast  all  our  croAvns,  in 
one  glittering  heap,  at  thy  blessed  feet,  saying,  Not 
unto  us,  0  Lord,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name  giA^e 
glor}^,  for  thy  mercy  and  for  thy  truth's  sake. 


GLORY   IN   TRIBULATION. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

'^And  not  only  so,  but  tve  glory  in  tribulations  also;  kjtowing  that 
tribulation  worketh  patience;  and  patie?ice,  experience;  a?id  experience, 
hope;  and  hope  maketh  not  ashamed;  because  the  love  of  God  is  shed 
abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  given  unto  us.^' — RoM. 
V.  Z,  4,  5- 

TO  be  able  to  glory  in  tribulation  is  one  of  the  pre- 
cious results  of  justification :  "Therefore  being 
justified  by  faith,  Ave  have  peace  with  God  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  by  whom  also  we  have  access 
by  faith  into  this  grace  wherein  Ave  stand,  and  rejoice 
in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.  And  not  only  so,  but 
Ave  glory  in  tribulations  also."^  That  is,  not  only 
Jiave  Ave  peace  Avith  God  and  introduction  into  His 
favor,  Avhich  causes  joy  in  hope  of  future  blessedness, 
*'but  Ave  glory  in  tribulations  also." 

What  the  apostle  affirms  here,  concerning  himself 
and  his  felloAv  Christians,  is  abundantly  proved  by 
the  history  of  their  lives.  When  false  Avitnesses  Avere 
giving  crushing  CA^idence  against  him,  and  liis  un- 
just judges  were  gnashing  on  him  Avith  their  teeth, 
Stephen  Avas  happy.  The  holy  gladness  in  his  heart 
looked  out  smiling  through  tlie  open  AvindoAV  of  his 
countenance:  "And  all  that  sat  in  the  council,  look- 
ing steadfastly  on  him,  saAV  his  face  as  it  had  been 
1  Eom.  V.  1,  2,  3. 


3 1 0  BE  A  UTY  FOR  A  SHES. 

the  face  of  an  angel;*''  and  though  he  was  stoned  to 
death,  "he  fell  asleep."^  When  Peter  and  John  were 
sorely  beaten  for  preaching  Jesus,  "  they  departed 
from  the  presence  of  the  council,  rejoicing  that  they 
were  counted  worthy  to  suffer  shame  for  His  name."" 
AVhen  he  was  securely  kept  in  prison,  and  the  last 
night  of  his  life  had  come,  as  all  supposed,  Peter 
feared  no  evil;  for  the  same  night  he  sweetly  slept 
"  between  two  soldiers,  bound  with  two  chains."  * 
When  they  were  robbed  of  all  their  property,  and 
reduced  to. the  most  abject  poverty,  the  poor  Hebrews 
were  rich  in  joy,  as  one  of  them  testifies  in  these 
words:  "For  ye  had  compassion  of  me  in  my  bonds, 
and  took  joyfully  the  spoiling  of  your  goods,  know- 
ing in  yourselves  that  ye  have  in  heaven  a  better  and 
an  enduring  substance."  ^ 

But  of  all  the  early  Christians,  who  gloried  in  trib- 
ulation, Paul  appears  peerless  and  pre-eminent.  In 
this  great  attainment,  as  in  almost  every  other,  he 
stands  alone  and  without  a  rival;  the  sublimest  of  the 
sons  of  men,  the  saintliest  of  the  sons  of  God.  When 
with  Silas,  his  true  yoke-fellow  and  companion  in 
tribulation,  he  was  cast  into  "the  inner  prison,"  at 
Philippi,  and  his  feet  were  made  "fast  in  the  stocks," 
his  heart  was  leaping  for  joy :  "At  midnight  Paul  and 
Silas  prayed,  and  sang  praises  unto  God:  and  the 
prisoners  heard  them."*^  When  he  Avas  parting  with 
the  elders  of  Ephesus,  in  his  beautifully  touching  fare- 
well sermon  he  says:  "And  now,  behold,  I  go  bound  in 

1  Acts  vi.  15.  2  Acts  vii.  60.  3  Acts  v.  41. 

<  Acts  xii.  G.  5  Heb.  x.  34.  ^  Acts  svi.  25. 


GL  OR  Y  IN  TRIE  ULA  TION.  3  1 1 

the  spirit  unto  Jerusalem,  not  knowing  the  tilings  that 
shall  befall  me  there:  save  that  the  Holy  Ghost  wit- 
nesseth  in  every  city,  saying  that  bonds  and  afflictions 
abide  me.  But  none  of  these  things  move  me,  neither 
count  I  my  life  dear  unto  myself,  so  that  I  might  fin- 
isli  my  course  with  joy."  ^  When  he  came  on  his  jour- 
ney as  far  as  Csesarea,  one  of  the  prophets  "named 
Agabus"  took  the  apostle's  girdle  and  bound  his  own 
hands  and  feet,  and  said:  "Thus  saitli  the  Holy  Ghost, 
So  shall  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem  bind  the  man  that 
owneth  this  girdle."^  Immediately,  his  friends  were 
concerned  for  his  personal  safety,  and  besought  him 
with  blinding  tears  not  to  go  into  certain  danger. 
"Then  Paul  answered.  What  mean  ye  to  weep  and 
to  break  mine  heart  ?  for  I  am  ready  not  to  be  bound 
only,  but  also  to  die  at  Jerusalem  for  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus."  ^  When  there  was  given  unto  him  the 
"thorn  in  the  flesh,"  and  sufficient  grace  to  bear  the 
buffetings  of  Satan's  messenger,  he  seems  actually  at 
a  loss  to  find  language  strong  enough  to  express  his 
ecstasy:  "Most  gladly  therefore  will  I  rather  glory 
in  my  infirmities,  that  the  power  of  Christ  may  rest 
upon  me.  Therefore  I  take  pleasure  in  infirmities,  in 
reproaches,  in  necessities,  in  persecutions,  in  distresses 
for  Christ's  sake:  for  when  I  am  weak,  then  am  I 
strong."* 

These  first  Christians  were  indeed  "a  peculiar 
people."®  "We  are  troubled  on  every  side,  yet  not 
distressed;   we   are    perplexed,    but   not   in   despair; 

I  Acts  XX.  22,  23,  24.        2  Acts  xxi.  11.        3  Acts  xxi.  13. 
4  n  Cor.  xii.  9,  10.  6  \  Pet.  ii.  9. 


312  BE  A  UTY  FOR  A  SHES. 

persecuted,  but  not  forsaken;  cast  down,  but  not 
destroyed."^  Tl^ey  were  a  paradoxical  people.  To 
them  pain  was  pleasure,  loss  was  gain,  poverty  was 
wealth,  reproach  was  honor,  down  was  up,  and  death 
was  life:  "As  unknoAvn,  and  yet  well  known;  as 
dying,  and  behold  we  live;  as  chastened,  and  not 
killed;  as  sorrowful,  yet  always  rejoicing;  as  poor, 
yet  making  many  rich;  as  having  nothing,  and  yet 
possessing  all  things."^  They  gloried  in  tribulations, 
not  because  of  any  present  pleasure  which  these  af- 
forded, but  chiefly  for  the  "peaceable  fruit  of  right- 
eousness"' which  they  afterwards  yielded:  "knowing 
that  tribulation  worketh  patience;  and  patience,  ex- 
perience; and  experience,  hope." 

"Tribulation  worketh  patience."  By  patience  we 
mean  that  calmness  of  mind  which  suffers  without 
murmuring,  and  that  constancy  of  heart  Avhich  en- 
dures without  discontent.  Here,  and  elsewhere,  it 
is  spoken  of  as  the  first  ripe  fruit  which  Christians 
gather  from  the  tree  of  tribulation.  The  troubles 
that  are  exciting,  annoying,  and  irritating  to  other 
men,  are  subduing,  quieting,  and  calming  to  them. 
Those  fiery  trials,  which  toss  other  men's  minds  into 
a  tempest,  fall  upon  them  like  oil  on  the  fretful  sea. 
The  yoke  that  is  galling  to  those  who  know  not 
whose  it  is,  nor  what  it  is  for,  is  easy  to  their  neck. 
The  disappointment  that  makes  other  men  obstinate, 
angry,  and  rebellious,  wakes  up  tlieir  joy,  and  glad- 
ness, and  glory:  "knoAving  that  tribulation  worketli 
patience." 

I  U  Cor.  iv.  8,  9.        2  II  Cor.  vi.  9,  10.        3  Heb.  xii.  11. 


GLORY  IN  TRIBULATION.  313 

Frequently  they  feel  their  need  of  this  heavenly 
grace,  and  the  black  messenger  who  brings  it  to 
them  is  kindly  welcomed.  He  may  be  rude  in  speech, 
and  rough  in  manners,  but  he  brings  a  blessing  from 
above,  and  shall  be  entertained  like  an  angel. 

"Ye  have  heard  of  the  patience  of  Job;"^  but  you 
never  would  have  heard  of  it,  if  he  had  not  been  so 
severely  tried.  He  was  the  most  patient  of  saints, 
because  he  Avas  the  most  afflicted  of  saints.  His  pa- 
tience was  produced  by  the  Sabeans,  the  Chaldeans, 
and  his  own  wife  also.  It  was  developed  by  the 
whirlwind  and  sickness  and  Satan  himself  And 
when  all  was  lost,  and  nothing  but  a  loathsome  life 
was  left,  and  that  was  hanging  on  a  slender  thread, 
then  his  patience  had  her  perfect  work.  As  his  ca- 
lamities increased,  his  calmness  increased ;  and  he 
Avas  more  constant  at  the  end  than  at  the  beginning 
of  his  sorroAvs:  "Though  He  slay  me,  yet  Avill  I  trust 
in  Him."  ^  "  My  brethren,  count  it  all  joy  Avhen  ye 
fall  into  divers  temptations;  knowing  this,  that  the 
trying  of  your  faith  Av^orketh  patience."' 

"And  patience,  experience."  Experience  is  a  com- 
prehensiA^e  term,  and,  as  commonly  used,  it  expresses 
that  knoAvledge  Avhich  Ave  gain  by  experiment.  It 
means  trial,  and  includes  also  in  its  signification  the 
results  of  trial,  such  as  evidence  and  approbation. 

It  is  therefore  a  proving  experience.     All  are  not 

Christians  Avho  are  called  by  that  name;  and  Avhat 

seems  to  be  religion  is  often  the  reverse.     AVe  may 

be  members  of  the  church  and  not  members  of  Christ. 

'  James  v.  11.  2  Job  xiii.  15.  ^  James  i.  2,  3. 


314  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

Judas  was  a  member  of  the  church.  The  mere  fact 
that  we  are  in  the  fold  is  not  conclusive  evidence 
that  we  are  of  it.  The  good  Shepherd,  who  "  calleth 
His  own  sheep  by  name,"  ^  tells  us  of  some  who  are 
"  in  sheep's  clothing,  but  inwardly  they  are  ravening 
wolves."  ^  We  may  have  the  fairest  exterior,  and  the 
good  opinion  of  all  who  look  only  on  the  outside; 
but  the  Omniscient  One,  who  searches  the  heart,  may 
liken  us  to  those  "whited  sepulchres,  which  indeed 
appear  beautiful  outward,  but  are  within  full  of  dead 
men's  bones,  and  of  all  uncleanness."^  Nay,  more, 
we  may  pray  fervently,  and  preach  earnestly,  and 
do  many  wonderful  works;  but,  even  these  are  not 
infallible  signs  of  sincerity:  "Not  every  one  that 
saitli  unto  me.  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  heaven."* 

Since,  then,  these  things  are  so,  we  need  proving 
very  much,  and  there  is  nothing  like  tribulation  to 
put  our  piety  to  the  test.  When  the  rain  descends, 
and  the  floods  come,  and  the  winds  blow  and  beat 
upon  our  house,  we  soon  find  out  whether  it  is  founded 
on  a  solid  rock,  or  on  the  shifting  sand.  When  we 
are  thrust  into  the  crucible,  and  the  fire  is  kindled 
and  kept  burning  more  and  more,  till  we  are  melted 
down,  the  discovery  is  made  whether  we  are  genuine. 
And  in  anticipation  of  the  experiment,  blessed  is  the 
man  who  can  say,  with  the  witness  of  the  Spirit 
within  him:  "When  He  hath  tried  me,  I  shall  come 
forth  as  gold."^ 

1  John  X.  3.  2  Mat.  vii.  15.  3  Mat.  xxiii.  27. 

4  Mat.  vii.  21.         e  Job  xxiii.  10. 


GL  OR  Y  IN  TRIE  ULA  TION.  3 1 5 

It  is  also  a  purifying  experience.  We  need  more 
than  proving.  We  need,  as  Avell,  to  be  separated 
from  much  that  is  worthless  and  vile ;  and  the  orig- 
inal meaning  of  tribulation,  to  which  so  much  is  at- 
tributed in  the  text,  will  serve  to  show  you  both  the 
manner  and  the  motive  of  our  afflictions.  As  we 
generally  use  it,  tribulation  is  a  bitter  term,  and  its 
ordinary  acceptation  is  only  anguish ;  but  there  is  a 
hidden  beauty  under  its  dark  disguise,  and  in  its 
heart  there  is  a  hive  of  honey.  It  is  derived  from 
a  Latin  word  which  means  to  thresh.  Tribulation, 
therefore,  being  interpreted,  signifies  the  threshing 
of  the  Christian ;  and  points  out  the  process  by  which 
he  is  purified  for  heaven. 

"Ye  are  God's  husbandry."^  You  know  what  that 
means.  You  are  the  trees  of  His  planting,  the  vines 
of  His  trimming,  and  the  wheat  of  His  growing;  and 
these  are  some  of  the  implements  with  which  He  cul- 
tivates His  "heritage"^ — the  plough,  the  pruning- 
hook,  and  the  harrow;  the  sickle,  the  flail,  and  the 
fan.  Here,  I  see  God  in  the  ploughman  going  forth 
to  plough.  He  breaks  up  the  lallow  ground  of  the 
heart:  "The  ploughers  ploughed  upon  my  back:  they 
made  long  their  furrows."®  And  there,  I  see  Him 
again  in  the  sower  going  forth  to  sow ;  scattering  the 
good  seed  on  the  soil  softened  by  sorrow:  "He  that 
soweth  the  good  seed  is  the  Son  of  man."*  And  yon- 
der, once  more,  I  see  Him  in  the  reaper  going  forth 
to  reap;  putting  in  the.  sickle  when  the  harvest  is 

1  I  Cor.  iii.  9.  2  i  Pet.  v.  3. 

3  Ps.  cxxix.  3.  4  Mat.  xiii.  37. 


3l6  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

ripe,  and  coming  again  "with  rejoicing,  bringing  His 
sheaves  with  Him ; "  ^  which  sheaves  we  are.  He  casts 
us  down,  all  unbound,  on  the  barn  floor  of  the  sick- 
bed ;  and,  making  bare  His  arms,  like  a  laboring  man, 
and  bending  over  us  to  His  work.  He  beats  us  with 
His  flail :  now  with  His  flail  of  weakness,  and  again 
with  His  flail  of  painfulness;  now  softly,  and  then 
heavily,  as  the  case  may  require;  intent  only  upon 
beating  ofl*  and  beating  out  the  pure  grain  of  Chris- 
tian character;  separating  the  wheat  from  the  stalks 
on  which  it  grew,  and  the  husks  in  which  it  was 
hidden;  and  beating  us,  "if  need  be,"^  through  many 
tiresome  days  and  "wearisome  nights."'  And  as  we 
lie  there  "full  of  tossings  to  and  fro,"  all  the  time 
understanding  the  nature  and  purpose  of  the  process, 
we  repine  not,  but  rejoice  rather,  because  our  "Father 
is  the  husbandman,"*  and  so  He  prepareth  us  for  the 
heavenly  garner. 

It  is,  further,  a  perfecting  experience.  There  are 
degrees  of  purity,  and  several  successive  stages  in 
the  development  of  the  divine  life;  and  He  who  hath 
begun  a  good  work  in  us  will  carry  it  on  to  comple- 
tion. He  will  perfect  tliat  which  concerneth  us,  and 
sanctify  us  wholly,  that  He  may  present  us  "  faultless 
before  the  presence  of  His  glory  with  exceeding  joy,"' 
"not  having  spot  or  wrinkle  or  any  such  thing."" 
And,  in  order  to  make  His  work  quite  perfect,  the 
heavenly  husbandman  has  recourse  to  another  instru- 

'  Ps.  cxxvi.  6.  2  I  Pet.  i.  6. 

3  Job  vii.  3.  4  John  xv.  1. 

6  Jude  24.  c  Eph.  v.  27. 


GL  OR  V  IN  TRIE  ULA  TION.  3 1 7 

ment  beside  the  flail :  "  Whose  fan  is  in  His  hand, 
and  He  will  thoroughly  purge  His  floor." ^ 

When  the  wheat  is  threshed,  it  is  not  fit  for  the 
garner.  TJiough  separated  from  the  Avorthless  straw, 
there  yet  remains  the  still  more  worthless  chafl";  and 
it  must  needs  pass  through  another  purifying  process, 
in  its  progress  to  perfection.  It  must  be  winnowed, 
which  was  done  in  old  time,  as  the  word  itself  im- 
ports, by  taking  it  on  a  large,  fan-shaped  shovel,  and 
throwing  it  up  across  the  wind.  To  facilitate  the 
fanning,  the  threshing-floor  was  generally  located  on 
high  ground,  and  was  always  constructed  in  the  form 
of  a  circle,  and  was  left  open  all  round  to  the  wind. 
As  soon  as  the  work  of  the  flail  was  finished,  the  straw 
was  carefully  removed  from  the  floor,  and  the  work 
of  the  fan  was  commenced,  and  continued  till  all  the 
chaff"  was  carried  away,  and  nothing  but  clean  wheat 
was  left. 

So,  by  continued  tribulation,  our  heavenly  Father 
completes  our  sanctiflcation.  When  He  is  done 
threshing.  He  lays  aside  His  flail  and  takes  us  on 
His  fan,  and  tosses  us  up  and  down  against  the  wind 
of  adversity.  Up  and  down,  not  to  hurt  us,  but  to 
make  us  holy.  Up  and  down,  till  He  hath  cleansed 
us  "from  all  iniquity."  And,  blessed  be  His  glorious 
name  forever,  "He  doth  not  afflict  willingly," Miever 
"from  His  heart";*  but  always  and  only  from  His 
hand:  "Whose  fan  is  in  His  hand."* 

It  is  all  the  while  a  pleasant  experience.     Strange 

1  Mat.  iii.  12.  2  Lam.  iii,    33. 

3  Lam.  iii.  33  (marginal  reading).  *  Mat.  iii.  12. 


3l8  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

as  it  may  seem,  there  is  liglit  in  darkness,  there  is  joy 
in  sorrow,  and  there  is  peace  in  trouble.  In  every 
shady  place,  the  Saviour's  presence  is  brighter  than 
the  double  light  of  noon ;  in  every  grief.  His  grace  is 
magnified  beyond  the  purest  joys  of  earth,  and  His 
love  always  causeth  us  to  triumph  over  every  trial. 
"  Blessed  be  God,  even  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Father  of  mercies,  and  the  God  of  all  com- 
fort; who  comforteth  us  in  all  our  tribulation,  that 
we  may  be  able  to  comfort  them  which  are  in  any 
trouble,  by  the  comfort  wherewith  we  ourselves  are 
comforted  of  God.  For  as  the  sufferings  of  Christ 
abound  in  us,  so  our  consolation  also  aboundeth  by 
Christ."^ 

The  happiest  persons  we  have  ever  known  were 
those  who  suffered  the  most.  The  threshing-floor  was 
their  pulpit,  from  which  they  preached  the  sweetest 
sermons  about  "the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,"^ 
and  "the  exceeding  riches  of  His  grace ";^  it  was 
their  Pisgah,  from  which  they  saw  the  land  of  praises, 
and  rejoiced  as  if  they  were  already  there,  singing,  in 
notes  that  are  divine:  "  Unto  Him  that  loved  us,  and 
washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  own  blood,  and  hath 
made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  His  Fatlier: 
to  Him  be  glory  and  dominion  forever  and  ever."* 

According  to  the  geography  of  grace,  Patmos  was 
nearer  to  Paradise  than  the  upper  room  in  Jerusalem ; 
and  the  beloved  disciple  was  dearer  to  Jesus  there 
than  when  he   "leaned  on  His   breast  at  supper."^ 

1  n  Cor.  1,  3-5.  2  Eph.  iii.  8.  3  Eph.  ii.  7. 

4  Eev.  i.  5,  6.  e  John  xxi.  20. 


GLORY  IN  TRIBULATION.  319 

And  there  is  a  special  blessing  for  those  who  read 
his  last  book  which  Avas  written  there,  under  the 
"shadow  of  heavenly  things":^  "Blessed  is  he  that 
readeth,  and  tliey  that  hear  the  words  of  this  proph- 
ecy, and  keep  those  things  which  are  written  therein : 
for  the  time  is  at  hand."^ 

When  Kutherford  was  silenced  and  sent  into  ban- 
ishment for  loving  Jesus,  and  serving  Him  for  love, 
he  was  the  happiest  man  in  all  the  world;  and  many 
of  his  "Immortal  Letters"  were  written  with  joy's 
own  ink  "from  Christ's  Palace  in  Aberdeen."  As 
soon  as  he  was  pointed  out,  and  spoken  of,  as  "the 
banished  minister,"  he  accepted  the  insulting  epithet, 
and  bound  it  like  a  "garland"  around  his  head,  and 
gloried  in  it.  So  beautiful  were  the  ashes  of  reproach 
in  his  eyes,  that  they  blossomed  all  over  with  "the 
Kose  of  Sharon  and  the  Lily  of  the  valleys."^  And 
after  he  quitted  "the  tents  of  Kedar,"*  the  stray  ar- 
rows that  he  sent  out  from  the  place  of  his  retirement 
were  gathered  together  in  the  quiver  of  a  book,  which 
has  held  the  highest  place  among  our  Christian  clas- 
sics for  more  than  tAvo  hundred  years,  and  Avill  con- 
tinue to  spread  abroad  the  sweetest  fragrance  of  the 
sweetest  name  till  the  coming  of  the  King. 

"Bless  the  Lord,  0  my  soul,  and  forget  not  all 
His  benefits."®  His  blows  are  benefits;  His  blows 
are  blessings;  it  is  a  benediction  to  be  beaten,  to  be 
bruised,  and  to  be  broken  Avith  His  heavenly  flail: 
"Strokes  from  the  SAveet  Mediator's  hands  are  very 

J  Heb.  viii.  5.  2  Eev.  i.  3.  s  Cant.  ii.  1. 

*■  Cant.  i.  5.  «  Ps.  ciii.  2. 


320  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

sweet."  "Most  gladly  therefore  will  I  rather  glory- 
in  my  infirmities  that  the  power  of  Christ  may  rest 
upon  me." 

"And  experience,  hope."  Hope  is  a  compound  word, 
and  expresses  a  complex  emotion.  It  is  best  defined, 
by  the  two  words  desire  and  expectation.  What  we 
long  for,  and  what  we  look  for,  that  is  hope.  AVhat 
we  earnestly  covet,  and  are  confident  we  shall  obtain, 
that  is  hope.  It  is  an  emotion  of  the  mind  in  Avhich 
there  is  no  element  of  evil,  as  Ave  can  only  hope  for 
that  Avhich  is  good.  It  is  indeed  a  precious  treasure, 
and  better  worth  than  all  the  world.  When  Alex- 
ander the  Great  was  giving  away  estates  and  empires 
with  lavish  prodigality,  one  of  his  friends  asked  him 
what  he  reserved  for  himself,  and  he  said,  "Nothing 
but  hope."  And  the  chief  secret  of  his  success,  in 
going  on  from  conquering  to  conquer,  till  at  last  he 
laid  the  whole  Avorld  at  his  feet,  is  embalmed  in  that 
sublime  answer.  Nothing  but  hope  is  hope  and  every 
thing.  When  we  are  poor  and  needy,  hope  is  our 
very  great  possession ;  and  when  our  barns  are  burst- 
ing out  Avith  plenty,  and  we  have  every  thing  that 
heart  can  Avish,  it  is  more  and  better  than  all  beside. 

But  there  is  a  better  hope  than  that  Avhich  is 
common  to  all  mankind,  and  which  keeps  the  heart 
of  humanity  from  breaking.  It  is  the  Christian's  hope 
of  glory.  It  is  born  in  poverty  and  reproach,  and 
baptized  with  tears  and  flames.  Patience  and  expe- 
rience are  its  foster-parents,  Avho  nourish  and  cherish 
the  goodly  child  Avith  the  necessary  milk  and  meat 
of  tribulation  and  anguish ;  and  when  he  groAvs  up, 


GLORY  IN  TRIBULATION.  32 1 

he  is  insensible  alike  to  the  summer's  heat  and  the 
winter's  cold.  He  is  a  brother  "born  for  adversity,"^ 
the  friend  whom  affliction  brings  to  better  view,  like 
those  brave  ocean  birds  that  light  upon  the  storm- 
tossed  ship  when  timorous  wings  are  wending  home. 
And  there  is  a  proper  scripture  sense  in  which  "we 
are  saved  bj  hope."  ^ 

In  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  this  great  grace  is 
likened  to  an  anchor:  "Which  hope  we  have  as  an 
anchor  of  the  soul;"''  and  the  severer  the  storm  is, 
the  surer  and  more  steadfast  it  holds  us;  and  indeed 
there  is  no  hope  like  hoping  against  hope;  and,  bet- 
ter still,  it  never  disappoints  tliose  who  have  it:  this 
"hope  maketh  not  ashamed."  Our  best  earthly  hopes 
are  often  blasted  in  the  bud;  our  fondest  desires 
frequently  fail;  our  long-cherished  expectations  are 
sometimes  suddenl}^  cut  off;  and  we  do  not  always 
obtain  the  objects  on  which  our  hearts  are  set.  And 
even  when  we  do,  we  are  not  satisfied.  Our  greatest 
expectations  are  our  greatest  disappointments;  and 
when  we  grasp  at  their  substance,  it  is  only  a  shadow, 
and  we  are  ashamed. 

When  he  had  fought  his  last  battle,  and  won  his 
greatest  victor}^  and  gained  the  whole  world,  the 
man  of  Macedonia  was  not  contented,  as  he  thought 
lie  would  be.  That  great  hope  that  never  failed  him 
in  his  Avonderful  career,  then,  for  the  first  time,  made 
him  ashamed.  "  He  stood  and  measured  the  earth";* 
but  it  was  not  equal  to  his  expectations,  and  he  was 

»  Prov.  xvii.  17.  2  Kom.  viii.  24. 

3  Heb.  vi.  19.  <  Hab.  iii.  6. 


322  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

disappointed,  dissatisfied,  disgusted  with  it,  and  with 
himself  as  well.  What !  is  this  the  little  thing  that 
1  have  lived  and  labored  for  so  long  ?  Is  this  shadow 
the  substance  of  my  hope  ?  and  he  wept  for  another 
world. 

But  the  Christian's  hope  of  future  blessedness  shall 
never  fail.  In  our  present  experience,  we  have  "the 
earnest  of  our  inheritance,"^  and  the  last  fruits  of  the 
sweet  fields  beyond  the  swelling  flood  are  just  as  sure 
as  the  first  fruits  which  are  already  in  our  possession. 
Our  glorious  hope  is  not  a  frail  thing  like  the  spider's 
web;  nor  is  it  just  like  the  sailor's  strong  anchor;  for 
it  is  not  dropped  down  into  the  troubled  waters  over 
which  we  are  sailing;  but,  contrariwise,  it  is  cast  up- 
ward into  the  peaceful  haven  whither  we  are  bound, 
and  entering  "into  that  within  the  vail,"^  it  is  not  dis- 
turbed by  the  storms  down  here.  And  never  will  it 
disappoint  us.  Never  disappoint  us  did  I  say  ?  Yes, 
it  will ;  but  always  favorably.  Our  highest  anticipa- 
tions shall  be  more  than  realized.  Our  greatest  ex- 
pectations shall  be  overmatched  for  once.  "  The  sub- 
stance of  things  hoped  for"  ^  shall  far  exceed  our  hope, 
and  we  shall  never  weep  for  another  heaven.  "Now 
the  God  of  hope  fill  you  with  all  joy  and  peace  in 
believing,  that  ye  may  abound  in  hope,  through  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  ^ 

The  last  clause  of  the  text  assigns  the  reason  why 
our  heavenly  hope  shall  not  be  found  delusive:  "be- 
cause the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts 

1  Eph.  i.  14.  2  Heb.  vi.  19. 

3  Heb.  xi.  1.  4  Eom.  xv,  13. 


GLORY  IN  TRIBULATION.  323 

by  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  given  unto  11s."  Hope, 
as  well  as  faith,  works  by  love.  Love  is  the  sonrce 
of  all  its  strength  and  beauty.  It  is  also  the  ground 
out  of  which  every  other  grace  grows,  and  the  grand 
reason  why  all  our  afflictions  work  together  for  good 
and  for  glory.  Love  is  the  root  and  the  offspring  of 
the  same  tree  of  tribulation.  The  mother  and  the 
children  of  the  same  sorrow. 

Patience,  experience,  and  hope !  No  children  ever 
bore  so  many  features  of  their  parents  as  these  do  of 
love.  Let  me  call  their  names.  Patience  is  enduring 
love ;  experience  is  perfecting  love ;  and  hope  is  exult- 
ing love.  And  all  of  them  are  better  than  good,  be- 
cause of  love ;  but  love  alone  is  first  and  last  and  best 
— before  all,  after  all,  and  above  all.  This  mother  is 
more  to  be  desired  than  all  her  daughters;  and  as 
David  said  of  Goliath's  sword,  so  say  I  of  love  : 
"There  is  none  like  that;  give  it  me."^  Let  ever- 
living,  never-dying,  never-failing  love  be  mine,  and 
I  shall  never  be  confounded.  In  the  cloudy  and  dark 
day  when  I  am  left  alone,  and  in  "  the  valley  of  the 
shadow  of  death,"  *  when  every  other  hand  must  let 
me  go,  still  abiding,  never  changing,  love  shall  hold 
me  fast,  keep  -me  from  falling,  and  make  even  mine 
enemies  to  be  at  peace  with  me.  "  Who  shall  sepa- 
rate us  from  the  love  of  Christ  ?  shall  tribulation,  or 
distress,  or  persecution,  or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or 
peril,  or  sword  ? " '  Nay,  these  are  but  the  cords  of 
love  by  which  we  are  drawn  and  bound  more  closely 
to  Christ.  Nay,  more,  they  are  His  angels  who  have 
1  I  Sam,  xxi.  9.  2  Ps,  xxiii.  4,  "^  Rom.  viii.  35. 


324  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

charge  over  us  in  all  our  ways,  to  bear  us  up  in  their 
arms:  "Are  they  not  all  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth 
to  minister  for  them  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation?"^ 

Such  are  the  several  benefits  of  sorrow  as  they  are 
delineated  by  the  apostle,  and  proved  also  by  our 
own  experience.  Being  justified  by  fixith,  our  afflic- 
tions are  altogether  altered.  They  are  not  what  they 
seem — the  frowning  expressions  of  the  divine  displeas- 
ure ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  they  are  what  they  seem 
not — the  beneficent  manifestations  of  the  divine  love. 
As  the  thorns  which  pierced  the  Saviour's  brow  were 
twisted  into  the  shape  of  a  crown ;  so  our  tribulations 
are  emblems  of  royalty,  and  "if  we  suffer,  we  shall 
also  reign  with  Him."  ^  "  Jesus  said  unto  them, 
Verily  I  say  unto  you.  That  ye  wliich  have  followed 
me,  in  the  regeneration  when  the  Son  of  man  shall 
sit  in  the  throne  of  His  glory,  ye  also  shall  sit  upon 
twelve  thrones,  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel."  ^ 

Not  only  is  there  a  silver  lining  in  every  flitting 
cloud,  but,  Avhen  rightly  viewed,  the  cloud  itself  is 
brighter  than  the  bright  light  that  is  in  it.  If  only 
we  could  be  caught  up  beyond  the  cloud,  where  the 
sun  is  always  shining,  there  would  be  no  darkness  in 
it  at  all;  but  only  dazzling  brightness  and  rainbow 
hues.  So,  when  looked  at  in  the  light  of  heavenly 
love,  our  lesser  troubles  grow  beautiful,  our  greatei 
ones,  sublime.  In  the  inspired  inventory  of  our  pos- 
sessions, proper  mention  is  made  of  them,  and  they 
are  by  far  the  best  of  our  good  things.  We  ought  to 
make  them  welcome  when  they  come,  and  entertain 
»  Heb.  i.  14.        2  n  Tim.  ii.  12.        4  Mat.  xix.  28. 


GLORY  IN  TRIBULATION.  325 

them  kindly  :  "  for  thereby  some  have  entertained 
angels  unawares."*  We  ought  to  be  aided  by  them 
rather  than  annoyed;  and  take  courage  from  them, 
not  cowardice;  strength,  not  weakness;  victory,  not 
defeat.  The  eye  quick  to  discern  the  good  in  the  evil ; 
the  mind  that  can  distil  sweetness  out  of  the  bitter; 
the  heart  that  can  rebound  from  the  heaviest  blow, — 
these  are  noble,  beautiful,  and  brave :  would  that  they 
were  always  ours. 

Before  we  close,  come  and  see  this  stagnant  pool  ? 
Its  Avaters  are  foul  and  black  and  dead.  Its  surface 
is  covered  over  with  a  scum  of  purple  and  yellow  and 
green.  It  is  the  home  and  the  hiding-place  of  name- 
less unclean  and  creeping  things.  It  breathes  out 
only  an  offensive  odor,  charging  the  atmosphere  with 
positive  poison;  sending  sickness  and  death  far  and 
wide  on  the  wings  of  the  wind.  But,  by  the  silent, 
unseen,  and  powerful  influence  of  the  sun's  rays,  that 
foul  water  is  distilled  and  drawn  upward  to  the  sky, 
where  it  is  gathered  into  bright  clouds  of  clean  and 
pure  and  holy  water. 

NoAV  then  for  the  parallel.  That  stagnant  pool — • 
that  hiding-place  of  so  many  abominations — that 
mother  of  "the  noisome  pestilence,"^  is  the  express 
image  of  ourselves.  In  our  estate  of  sin  and  misery, 
we  are  nothing  better  than  the  filthy  water  of  the 
Avorld,  corrupt  and  corrupting  all  who  come  Avithin 
our  influence.  But,  see!  see!  "The  Sun  of  righteous- 
ness" is  rising  over  us  "with  healing  in  his  wings,"' 
and  by  pouring  down  His  purifying  power  upon  us, 
'  Heb.  xiii.  2.  2  Ps.  xci.  3.  ^  Mai.  iv.  2. 


326  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

we  are  first  transformed  and  then  translated  to  join 
the  "cloud  of  witnesses"^ — that  "great  multitude, 
which  no  man  could  number,"  and  of  whom  the  elder 
said,  "  These  are  they  which  came  out  of  great  trib- 
ulation, and  have  washed  their  robes,  and  made  them 
white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb."'^ 

"  Now  the  God  of  peace,  that  brought  again  from 
the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus,  that  great  Shepherd  of  the 
sheep,  through  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant, 
make  you  perfect  in  every  good  work  to  do  His  will, 
working  in  you  that  which  is  Avell  pleasing  in  His 
sight,  through  Jesus  Christ;  to  whom  be  glory  for- 
ever and  ever.     Amen."^ 

1  Heb.  xii.  1.  2  Kev.  vii.  14.  a  Heb.  xiii.  20. 


THE   FEARFUL   THINGS   WE    FEAR. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

^'Fear  none  of  those  things  which  thou  shalt  suffer y — Rev.  ii.  lo. 

WE  are  so  constituted  by  our  all-wise  Creator 
that  we  can  not  help  looking  forward  to  the 
future,  and  Hving  much  in  the  future.  Our  business, 
our  plans,  our  pleasures,  all  have  reference  to  the 
future;  we  think  about  it  more  than  we  think  about 
the  past;  we  think  about  it  more  than  we  think  about 
the  present;  and  not  unfrequently  our  minds  are  so 
thoroughly  occupied  with  things  to  come,  that  the 
past  and  the  present  are  both  quite  forgotten.  The 
real  burdens  which  were  laid  on  us  yesterday  and 
to-day  are  not  half  so  heavy  as  the  anticipated  burden 
of  to-morrow.  The  trials  which  we  feel,  and  which 
we  have  felt,  are  light;  they  are  less  than  nothing,  in 
comparison  of  the  trials  which  we  fear. 

In  every  Christian  heart,  the  past,  the  present,  and 
the  future  should  each  have  its  own  place.  We  may 
not  forget  the  past:  "God  requireth  that  which  is 
past;"*  we  may  not  neglect  the  present:  "Son,  go 
work  to-day  in  my  vineyard ; " '  we  may  not  ignore 
the  future:  "How  wilt  thou  do  in  the  swelling  of 
Jordan?"' 

It  would  be  useless  for  us  to  strive  to  shut  out  the 
future  entirely  from  our  minds,  because  we  can  not 
1  Eccl.  iii.  15.  2  Mat.  xxi,  28.  3  jer.  xii.  5. 


330  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

do  so.  In  spite  of  all  our  bars  and  bolts,  it  will  force 
its  way  into  the  holiest  cliamber  of  our  hearts,  and 
become  our  constant  guest,  talking  all  the  time,  and 
only  about  the  fear  of  fearful  things. 

And  since  we  must  needs  give  place  to  the  future, 
we  may  do  so  and  commit  no  sin ;  we  may  do  so  and 
experience  no  sorrow.  It  is  not  looking  into  the 
future  that  makes  us  sad,  but  it  is  the  way  we  look. 
It  is  not  thinking  about  the  future  that  brings  us 
under  condemnation,  but  it  is  the  manner  of  our 
thoughts.  As  children,  and  heirs  of  God,  we  should 
look  ever  on  the  bright  side  of  the  future,  because  it 
is  the  right  side ;  and  never  on  the  dark  side,  because 
it  is  the  wrong  side.  We  may  hope  for  future  good, 
but  we  ought  not  to  fear  future  evil:  "Sufficient  unto 
the  day  is  the  evil  thereof"^ 

And  yet,  strange  to  say,  it  is  the  dark  side  of 
things  to  come  at  which  some  of  us  are  always  look- 
ing. We  are  not  hoping  for  any  good,  but  are  fear- 
ing only  evil.  Our  eyes  are  so  steadfastly  fixed  on 
the  burning,  fiery  furnace  into  which  we  may  be  cast, 
that  we  can  not  see  our  sympathizing  Saviour  "walk- 
ing in  the  midst  of  the  fire."^  To  ourselves,  there- 
fore, and  to  all  such  timorous  saints,  the  text  is  a 
timely  admonition,  to  w^iich  we  should  give  the  m-ost 
earnest  heed:  "  Fear  none  of  those  things  which  thou 
shalt  suffer." 

Suff'ering  is  the  lot  of  our  inheritance:   "Man  is 
born  unto  trouble;"'  and  our  few  days  are  "full  of 
trouble."     We  have  trials  in  the  present  time,  and 
1  Mat.  vi.  34.  2  Dan.  iii.  25.  3  Job  v.  7. 


THE  FEARFUL    THINGS   WE  FEAR.  33 1 

trials  ill  prospect.  This  has  been  so  from  the  begin- 
ning' of  the  world,  and  it  will  be  so  even  nnto  the 
end.  Concerning  the  saints  redeemed  in  glory,  the 
question  was  asked,  "What  are  these  which  are  ar- 
rayed in  Avhite  robes?  and  whence  came  they?"^ 
And  the  answer  was,  "These  are  they  which  came 
out  of  great  tribulation."  Concerning  the  saints  on 
earth,  it  might  be  asked,  "What  are  these  which  are 
arrayed  in  black  robes  ?  and  where  are  they  going  ?  " 
And  the  answer  could  be  nothing  else  than  this, 
"These  are  they  who  are  going  through  great  trib- 
ulation hom.e  to  God."  There  is  no  other  road  to 
heaven  except  "through  the  valley  of  Baca:"^  "we 
must  through  much  tribulation  enter  into  the  king- 
dom."' The  way  to  the  throne  is  still  by  the  thorn; 
the  way  to  the  crown  is  still  by  the  cross ;  the  way  to 
glory  is  still  through  the  grave. 

"The  path  of  sorrow,  and  that  path  alone, 
Leads  to  the  land  where  sorrow  is  unknown." 

There  are  some  sorrows  which  are  personal  and 
peculiar;  there  are  others  which,  are  common  to  all 
mankind;  and  some  of  the  things  which  you  shall 
suffer  may  be  briefly  mentioned. 

You  shall  suffer  sickness.  It  is  true  that  some  men 
are  seldom  sick,  while  others  never  see  a  healthy  day; 
but  these  two  extremes  of  sickness  and  health  are 
equal  exceptions  to  the  general  rule;  and,  whatever 
may  be  your  present  condition,  sickness  in  some  meas- 
ure, and  at  some  time,  will  surely  fall  to  your  lot. 
1  Rev.  vii.  13.  2  Pg.  ixxxiv.  6.  3  Acts  xiv.  22. 


332  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

There  are  but  few  persons  who  enjoy  what  is  called 
perfect  and  uninterrupted  health,  and  to  these  few 
sickness  is  certain  to  come  soon  or  late ;  so  that,  even 
if  you  are  one  of  these,  you  can  not  expect  to  be 
always  the  same  healthy  man  you  this  day  are. 
/rhe  great  majority  of  our  race  are  often  indisposed; 
more  than  half  of  them  die  of  divers  diseases  while 
they  are  yet  young;  and  those  who  still  survive  are 
sometimes  brought  to  the  brink  of  the  grave. 

Sickness  is  the  result  of  sin;  but  yet,  it  does  not 
follow,  that  those  who  are  most  frequently  prostrated 
on  beds  of  languishing  are  sinners  above  all  men; 
contrariwise,  and  strange  as  it  may  seem,  they  are 
often  the  best  of  saints.  It  is  not  in  the  power  of 
personal  holiness  to  prevent  those  diseases  Avhich  sin 
has  introduced  into  the  minds  and  bodies  of  men. 
Of  all  the  ancient  worthies,  spoken  of  in  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments,  not  one  of  them  escaped  the  uni- 
versal plague;  even  the  two  Avho  did  not  die  were 
not  exempt  from  bodily  infirmities;  for  Enoch  and 
Elijah  never  enjoyed  perfect  health  till  they  went 
to  heaven,  where  "the  inhabitant  shall  not  say,  I 
am  sick."^ 

Even  the  deepest,  dearest  love  of  our  Lord  Jesus  is 
no  security  against  sickness.  The  home  of  Bethany 
was  a  little  heaven.  The  angels  of  the  Lord  were 
always  encamped  round  about  it,  and  the  Lord  of 
angels  often  lodged  there.  There  the  "  Man  of  sor- 
rows"^ ofttimes  resorted  to  rest  aAvhile:  His  room 
was  always  ready,  and  He  was  always  entertained 
1  Isa.  xxxiii.  24.  '  Isa.  liii.  3. 


THE  FEARFUL    THINGS   WE  FEAR.  333 

with  the  most  affectionate  hospitahty.  Jesus  loved 
every  member  of  that  holy  family:  "Now  Jesus  loved 
Martha,  and  her  sister,  and  Lazarus."  ^  But  yet,  into 
that  holy  sanctuary,  where  the  Saviour  often  sought 
repose,  and  prayed,  the  destroying  angel  came:  "Lord, 
behold,  he  whom  thou  lovest  is  sick."^ 

And  although  this  same  Jesus  may  love  you  just  as 
much,  and  give  His  angels  charge  over  you  in  all 
your  ways,  sickness  will  come  upon  you  sometime. 
Perhaps  in  the  near  future  the  wearisome  days  and 
nights  will  begin  to  dawn  and  darken;  and  your 
sufferings  on  the  bed  of  languishing  may  become 
so  great  that  your  whole  body  shall  be  consumed, 
and  your  mind  distracted:  "The  Lord  shall  give  thee 
there  a  trembling  heart,  and  faihng  of  eyes,  and  sor- 
row of  mind:  and  thy  life  shall  hang  in  doubt  before 
thee;  and  thou  shalt  fear  day  and  night,  and  shalt 
have  none  assurance  of  thy  life:  in  the  morning  thou 
shalt  say.  Would  God  it  were  even !  and  at  even  thou 
shalt  say,  Would  God  it  were  morning !  for  the  fear 
of  thine  heart  wherewith  thou  shalt  fear,  and  for  the 
sight  of  thine  eyes  which  thou  shalt  see."^ 

You  shall  suffer  temptation.  You  have  enemies 
enough;  their  "name  is  Legion."^  They  are  not 
open  and  honorable  foes.  They  do  not  come  march- 
ing down  the  highway  in  the  daytime,  like  a  brave 
and  bannered  army,  with  bands  of  music  to  proclaim 
their  presence;  but  they  come  secretly,  silentlj^  and 
in  the  night   season,   hoping  to  surprise  you.     The 

1  John  xi.  5.  2  John  xi.  3. 

3  Deut.  xxviii.  65-67.  <  Mark  v.  9. 


334  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

boldest  of  them,  with  his  quiver  full  of  arrows,  will 
scarcely  dare  to  make  a  direct  attack  upon  you,  if 
you  have  on  the  "whole  armor  of  God,"^  and  are 
on  your  guard;  because,  in  a  fair  fight,  the  weakest 
saint  is  more  than  a  match  for  all  the  powers  of  dark- 
ness. And,  knowing  this,  the  angels  of  the  devil  pre- 
fer to  lurk  along  your  path,  watching  to  spring  upon 
you  unawares.  They  set  snares  for  your  feet,  and 
spread  nets,  and  dig  pitfalls,  if  by  any  means  you 
may  be  taken  captive;  meanwhile  their  leader,  the 
devil  himself,  "as  a  roaring  lion,  walketh  about,  seek- 
ing whom  he  may  devour."^  AVhat  cunning  crafti- 
ness there  is  here !  While  his  own  emissaries  are 
lying  in  Avait  to  open  their  masked  batteries  upon 
you,  he  himself  goeth  about  to  decoy  you  within 
reach  of  their  guns. 

The  old  serpent  is  still  "more  subtle  than  any  beast 
of  the  field."  ^  He  is  wise  to  do  evil,  and  for  your 
diversities  of  temperament  he  hath  divers  tempta- 
tions; and  most  skilfully  adapts  his  assaults  to  your 
circumstances,  your  mental  bias,  your  master  passion. 
He  knows  your  constitution,  your  weakness,  and  your 
sin  "which  doth  so  easily  beset."  *  Are  you  a  lover 
of  pleasure  ?  He  comes  Avith  a  sparkling  wine  cup, 
saying,  "  A  man  hath  no  better  thing  under  the  sun, 
than  to  eat,  and  to  drink,  and  to  be  merry." ^  Are 
you  ambitious  of  honor?  He  comes  with  a  royal 
diadem,  saying,  "This  will  I  give  you."  Are  you 
"  greedy   of   filthy   lucre  ? "  ®     He    counts   down   the 

'  Eph.  vi.  11.  2  I  Pet.  V.  8.  3  Gen.  iii.  1. 

4  Heb.  xii.  1.  »  Eccl.  viii.  15.  c  i  Tim.  iii.  3. 


THE  FEARFUL    THINGS   WE  FEAR.  335 

twenty  or  thirty,  or  thousand  pieces  of  silver,  saying, 
"  All  this  will  I  give  you."  He  knows  the  best  time, 
as  Avell  as  the  best  way,  to  entice  you  with  his  wiles. 
He  tempted  Job  when  he  was  afflicted;  he  tempted 
Jesus  when  He  was  festing;  he  tempted  Peter  when 
his  blaster  was  put  on  trial  for  His  life.  So,  in  the 
most  propitious  time  and  place,  the  devil  will  intro- 
duce himself  to  you:  not  like  a  lion,  but  like  a  lamb; 
not  like  the  serpent  he  now  is,  but  like  the  seraph  he 
once  was;  changing  his  name,  and  concealing  his  real 
nature,  by  clothing  himself  from  head  to  foot  with 
the  livery  of  heaven:  "And  no  marvel;  for  Satan  him- 
self is  transformed  into  an  angel  of  light."  ^ 

You  shall  sufier  bereavement.  This  is  doubtless 
the  sorest  thing  that  you  shall  ever  suffer.  Bereave- 
ment is  confessedly  the  heaviest  blow  with  which  the 
people  of  God  can  be  smitten  in  this  world;  it  is  the 
blow  that  breaks  the  heart  the  most,  and  leaves  it 
longest  bleeding.  To  love  dearly  and  deeply  and 
then  to  part ;  to  take  sweet  counsel  together  for  many 
years,  and  then  to  be  separated;  to  go  to  the  house 
of  God  in  company  with  a  true  yoke-fellow,  and  then 
to  go  alone ;  to  have  a  friend  that  sticketh  closer  than 
a  brother,  so  loyal  and  leal-hearted,  and  then  to  go  to 
his  funeral :  how  sad  it  is  ! 

We  could  Avish  that  it  might  be  otherwise;  but  it 
can  not  be  otherwise ;  this  cup  may  not  pass  from  you 
unless  you  drink  it.  Your  family  will  not  remain  the 
same  as  it  this  day  is;  and  your  delightful  home  will 
not  be  so  happy  always.     The  cheerful  song  will  be 

J  n  Cor.  xi.  14. 


336  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

liusliecl  some  day,  soon,  perhaps,  and  the  musical  in- 
strument will  be  closed,  when  the  dear  idol  of  your 
heart  shall  be  taken  sick.  Daring  the  night-watches 
your  eyes  will  be  held  waking  with  anxiety,  and  in 
the  daytime  you  will  disguise  your  sorrow,  as  best 
you  can,  for  the  sake  of  the  loved  one  who  is  wasting 
away.  The  best  skill  shall  exhaust  all  its  resources, 
every  recommended  remedy  shall  be  tried  in  vain,  and 
then. — What  then?  Then,  when  life  has  no  more 
stages,  with  weeping  eyes  3'ou  Avill  gather  round  the 
dying  bed,  where  the  flower  of  the  family  shall  fade; 
and  then  the  undertaker  will  come,  walking  softly, 
speaking  in  a  whisper,  and  in  all  things  executing 
the  duties  of  his  office  with  great  tenderness;  and 
then  the  dark  day  of  the  funeral  will  come,  and 
through  your  blinding  tears  you  will  take  the  last 
long  look  on  the  pale  face,  so  beautifal  even  in  death, 
and  the  silent  lips  shall  receive  the  parting  kiss ;  and 
then  you  shall  go  to  the  grave,  and  bury  your  living 
heart  with  the  beloved  dust,  and  return  to  your  des- 
olate home  refusing  to  be  comforted. 

You  shall  suffer  death.  This  is  that  one  event 
which  happeneth  to  all.  "  It  is  appointed  unto  men 
once  to  die;"'  and  from  the  beginning  of  the  Avorld 
until  now,  only  two  persons  have  escaped  the  divine 
decree,  "Dast  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  shalt  thou 
return."^  And,  doubtless,  Enoch  and  Elijah  are  the 
only  twain  avIio  shall  escape  the  universal  appohit- 
ment,  except  those  saints  who  shall  be  living  at  the 
time  of  the  second  advent ;  and  unless  you  are  one  of 
»  Heb.  ix.  27.  2  Gen.  iii.  19. 


THE  FEARFUL    THINGS   WE  FEAR.  337 

these,  you  must  needs  meet  "the  last  enemy :"^  not 
the  Avorst,  but  the  last  enemy.  It  may  come  to  pass 
that  you  shall  see  and  feel  the  signs  of  his  approach. 
Gray  hairs,  and  dimness  of  eyes,  and  dulness  of  ears 
may  come  as  his  advance  guard:  "The  keepers  of  the 
house  shall  tremble,  and  the  strong  men  shall  bow 
themselves."^  And  the  house  itself  shall  begin  to 
lean,  its  doors  and  windows,  and  doorposts  and  pil- 
lars shall  be  shaken  with  the  wind;  and  the  whole 
frame  shall  be  weakened  and  worn  out  with  the 
work  and  the  weight  of  years.  "Then  shall  the 
dust  return  to  the  earth  as  it  was;  and  the  spirit 
shall  return  unto  God  who  gave  it."  ^ 

Yes,  and  perhaps  before  the  time  of  old  age  shall 
the  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  be  taken  down 
and  laid  away  to  moulder  in  the  grave.  Not  one 
half  the  human  family  live  out  half  tlieir  days.  Fre- 
quently the  sun  goes  doAvn  at  noon,  "  while  it  Avas 
yet  day";*  and  still  more  frequently  "the  night  Com- 
eth"^ very  early  in  the  morning.  The  moment  Ave 
begin  to  live,  Ave  begin  to  die;  and  so  Ave  are  dying 
all  the  time,  and  no  man  can  tell  how  soon  the  Avork 
of  death  may  be  done.  Like  the  "Aveaver's  shuttle,"® 
and  the  "sAvift  ships,"  ^  Ave  are  passing  aAvay;  and,  in 
a  little  Avhile,  the  places  that  knoAv  us  noAv  shall  knoAV 
us  no  more  forever.  The  theatre,  to  Avhich  Ave  are 
always  going,  and  in  Avhich  Ave  are  always  acting, 
will  soon  be  closed ;  the  last  scene  of  the  last  act  Avill 

J  I  Cor.  XV.  26.  2  Eccl.  xii.  3.  3  Eccl.  xii.  7. 

*  Jer.  XV.  9.  ^  John  ix.  4.  ^  Job  vii.  6. 

'  Job  ix.  26. 


338  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

soon  be  over  and  ended:  "For  the  fashion  of  this 
world  passeth  away."^ 

To-day  you  may  be  in  what  is  called  the  prime  of 
life:  your  health  may  be  good,  and  you  may  have 
the  prospect  of  many  years;  but  you  may  not  liave 
as  many  months  or  weeks  or  days:  "For  in  such  an 
hour  as  ye  think  not  the  Son  of  man  cometh."^  Such 
are  some  of  the  tilings  Avhich  you  shall  suffer. 

You  may  expect  these  things.  You  are  not  left  in 
painful  uncertainty  concerning  their  coming, — you 
know  that  they  will  surely  appear.  Your  times  are 
in  the  hand  of  God,  and  all  the  things  which  shall 
befall  you  are  written  in  His  book.  The  hour,  the 
place,  the  bitterness,  and  all  the  circumstances  of  your 
sickness,  temptation,  bereavement,  and  death,  are  de- 
termined. They  were  ordained  for  you  from  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world.  The  Bible  teaches  this 
blessed  truth,  and  you  believe  it;  and  it  is  reasonable 
that  you  should  expect  those  things  that  are  in  store 
for  you. 

We  have  spoken  of  your  sorrows  as  the  lot  of  your 
inheritance,  and  as  the  heir  expects  his  estate,  and 
patiently  waits  for  the  set  time  to  come,  when  he 
shall  enter  upon  his  possessions;  so  you  should  look 
forward  expecting  to  receive  those  things  which  were 
left  to  you  by  your  Elder  Brother,  in  whose  last  will 
and  testament  this  bequest  is  written,  "  In  the  world 
ye  shall  have  tribulation:  but  be  of  good  cheer;  I  have 
overcome  the  world."  ^ 

When  you  see  your  friends  and  neighbors  inherit- 
1  I  Cor.  vii.  31.        2  Mat.  xxiv.  44.        3  John  xvi.  33. 


THE  FEARFUL   THINGS   WE  FEAR.  339 

ing  their  portion  of  suiFering,  yon  shonld  be  reminded 
that  similar  afflictions  are  in  store  for  yon,  and  that 
sooner  or  later  yon  mnst  endnre  them.  If  they  are 
much  in  your  minds  beforehand,  they  will  not  over- 
take you  unawares,  nor  seem  peculiar  to  your  case: 
"  Knowing  that  the  same  afflictions  are  accomplished 
in  your  brethren  that  are  in  the  world."  ^ 

But  here,  as  everywhere  else,  our  Lord  Jesus  has 
gone  before  us,  "leaving  us  an  example,  that  ye 
should  follow  His  steps."  ^  His  whole  life  was  the 
expectation  of  suffering.  He  looked  for  Gethsemane 
and  Calvary.  In  His  happiest  moments  He  thought 
about  the  cup  and  the  cross,  they  were  ever  before 
Him.  Even  in  the  sweet  perfume  of  Mary's  very 
precious  ointment  there  was  the  smell  of  the  sepul- 
chre: "She  did  it  for  my  burial."^  Behold,  how  con- 
stantly and  how  earnestly  He  expected  affliction :  "I 
have  a  baptism  to  be  baptized  with ;  and  how  am  I 
straitened  till  it  be  accomplished."* 

You  may  feel  concerned  about  these  things.  In  the 
early  twilight  of  the  first  Christian  Sabbath,  "  Mary 
Magdalene,  and  Mary  the  mother  of  James,  and  Sa- 
lome,"* went  unto  the  sepulchre,  desiring  and  ex- 
pecting to  embalm  the  broken  body  of  their  blessed 
Redeemer.  As  they  walked  and  were  sad,  they  began 
to  think  about  the  great  stone  that  was  rolled  against 
the  door  of  the  tomb:  "And  they  said  among  them- 
selves, Who  shall  roll  us  away  the  stone  from  the  door 
of  the  sepulchre  ?  " " 

'  I  Pet.  V.  9.  2  I  Pet.  ii.  21.  3  Mat.  xxvi.  12. 

*  Luke  xii.  50.         s  Mark  xvi.  1.  c  Mark  xvi.  3. 


340  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

As  often  as  you  have  read  this  engaging  incident, 
has  the  thought  ever  entered  into  your  minds  to 
blame  these  lioly  women  for  their  anxiety?  Are 
they  not  rather  to  be  commended  for  their  careful- 
ness ?  There  is  such  a  thing,  therefore,  as  anticipat- 
ing trouble  without  committing  any  sin.  There  is  a 
becoming  anxiety  about  things  to  come;  and  indeed 
there  may  be  great  wickedness  in  refusing  to  feel 
concerned  about  them:  "A  prudent  man  foreseeth 
the  evil,  and  hideth  himself:  but  the  simple  pass  on, 
and  are  punished."^ 

There  are  some  people  so  strangely  constituted, 
and  so  stiffened  in  stoicism,  that  they  have  no  care 
about  any  thing:  they  are  "past  feeling";^  their  con- 
science is  "seared  with  a  hot  iron";^  their  heart  is 
harder  than  the  hide  of  leviathan.  They  count  it  un- 
manly to  manifest  any  emotion  under  any  circum- 
stances. They  know,  as  well  as  others,  the  things 
which  they  shall  suffer,  but  they  care  not  at  all. 
"WJien  thoughts  of  the  future  come  into  their  minds, 
they  are  speedily  put  to  flight;  there  is  no  room  for 
them  there;  they  are  not  welcome,  and  will  not  be 
entertained;  and,  not  unfrequently,  the  kindness  that 
would  put  them  in  mind  of  these  things  is  sharply 
condemned.  We  can  not  find  language  strong  enough 
to  express  our  opinion  of  such  indifference,  and  the 
Lord  alone  can  measure  its  exceeding  sinfnlness. 

When  Pharaoh  was  commanded  to  let  God's  people 
go,  he  insultingly  said:  "AVho  is  the  Lord,  that  I 
should  obey  his  voice,  to  let  Israel  go  ?  I  know  not 
1  Prov.  xxii.  3.  2  Eph.  iv.  19.  s  I  Tim.  iv.  2. 


THE  FEARFUL    THINGS   WE  FEAR.  34 1 

the  Lord,  neither  will  I  let  Israel  go."^  His  neck 
was  like  an  iron  sinew  and  his  brow  brass,  while  his 
heart  was  like  the  nether  millstone,  and  only  became 
harder  in  the  furnace  where  it  should  have  been 
melted.  He  was  forewarned  of  the  calamities  that 
wonld  come  upon  himself  and  his  kingdom  if  he  per- 
sisted in  refusing  to  obey  the  divine  behest,  but  yet 
he  persevered  in  his  stubborn  way,  he  w^ould  not  be 
wise.  Every  fresh  plague  found  him  harder  to  be 
subdued:  he  saw  the  rivers  running  down  blood,  and 
swarms  of  flies,  and  showers  of  destroying  hail,  and 
thick  darkness  over  all  the  land,  but  they  seemed  to 
be  in  vain.  Perhaps  his  majesty  thought,  in  due 
time,  the  potsherd  would  prevail;  but  when  he  saw 
his  bannered  army  buried  in  the  Red  Sea,  he  learned 
who  the  Lord  w^as:  "Woe  unto  him  that  strive th 
with  his  Maker!  "  = 

You  may  prepare  for  these  things.  When  the  sailor 
sees  a  rainbow  in  the  morning,  he  believes  that  a 
storm  is  coming;  and  he  makes  haste  to  reef  home 
the  sail,  and  shut  down  the  hatch,  and  put  the  ship 
in  proper  trim  to  ride  out  the  hurricane.  The  barom- 
eter is  better  to  foretoken  the  tempest  than  any  sign 
in  the  sky;  and  when  it  indicates  foul  weather,  it 
would  be  the  height  of  presumption  not  to  prepare 
for  its  approach.  So,  when,  in  any  way,  we  are  fore- 
warned of  the  sufferings  which  are  sure  to  come,  no 
time  should  be  lost  in  getting  ready  to  receive  them : 
"  Look  for  crosses,  and  while  it  is  fair  weather  mend 
the  sails  of  the  ship." 

»  Exod.  V.  2.  2  isa.  xlv.  9. 


342  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

This  is  what  Noah  did.  "By  faith  Noah,  being 
warned  of  God  of  things  not  seen  as  yet,  moved  with 
fear,  prepared  an  ark  to  the  saving  of  liis  house."  ^ 
He  was  moved  with  fear  only,  lest  the  flood  should 
come  before  the  ark  was  finished.  But  Avhile  he 
worked  diligently,  God  Avaited  patiently;  He  waited 
for  one  hundred  and  twenty  years:  "The  long-suf- 
fering of  God  waited  in  the  days  of  Noah,  while  the 
ark  was  a  preparing."^ 

From  the  destruction  of  the  old  world  by  water,  to 
the  destruction  of  the  present  world  by  fire,  the  tran- 
sition is  natural  and  scriptural:  "As  the  days  of  Noah 
were,  so  shall  also  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  be." ' 
From  the  day  of  the  deluge  we  look  "unto  the  com- 
ing of  the  day  of  God,  wherein  the  heavens  being  on 
fire  shall  be  dissolved,  and  the  elements  shall  melt 
with  fervent  heat :  nevertheless  we,  according  to  the 
promise,  look  for  new  heavens,  and  a  new  earth 
wherein  dwelleth  righteousness.  Wherefore,  beloved, 
seeing  that  ye  look  for  such  things,  be  diligent  that 
ye  may  be  found  of  Him  in  peace,  without  spot  and 
blameless."  * 

We  may  pray  to  be  delivered  from  these  things. 
"After  this  manner  therefore  pray  ye:  Lead  us  not 
into  temptation,  but  deliver  us  from  evil."'  In  all 
your  anticipations  of  suffering,  and  in  all  your  ap- 
prehensions of  evil,  "In  every  thing  by  prayer  and 
supplication  with  thanksgiving  let  your  requests  be 
made  known  unto  God.     And  the  peace  of  God  which 

'  Heb.  xi.  7.  2  i  Pet.  iii.  20.  3  Mat.  xxiv.  37. 

«  n  Pet.  iii.  12-14.      ^  Mat.  ^d.  9,  13. 


THE  FEARFUL    THINGS   WE  FEAR.  343 

passeth  all  understanding,  shall  keep  your  hearts  and 
minds  through  Christ  Jesus."  ^  Your  case  will  never 
be  so  desperate  and  distressing  as  to  prevent  prayer. 
The  day  of  your  death  may  have  dawned,  and  the 
devil  may  have  beguiled  you  to  the  very  brink  of 
the  pit;  but,  by  prayer  and  supplication,  you  may 
be  delivered  from  death  and  hell:  "Whatsoever  ye 
shall  ask  in  my  name,  that  will  I  do."  "^ 

After  they  had  been  doomed  to  destruction,  Abra- 
ham prayed  for  the  guilty  cities  of  the  plain;  and 
every  one  of  his  six  petitions  prevailed  immediate- 
ly; and,  doubtless,  if  he  had  prayed  more,  he  Avould 
have  prevailed  more ;  for  he  left  off  asking  before  the 
Lord  left  off  answering.  When  Hezekiah  was  sick 
unto  death,  he  prayed,  and  the  Lord  heard  him  and 
lengthened  his  life  "fifteen  years." ^  When  David 
was  tempted,  he  prayed,  saying,  "  Pull  me  out  of  the 
net  that  they  have  laid  privily  for  me :  for  thou  art 
my  strength."''  When  the  disciples  of  John  were 
bereaved  of  their  teacher,  they  came,  "and  took  up 
the  body  and  buried  it,  and  went  and  told  Jesus."  ^ 

When  Christ  saw  the  cross  in  the  cup,  though  pros- 
trated to  the  ground  by  the  sight.  He  still  held  it  fast, 
but  held  it  up  to  the  throne  of  grace,  and,  "  with 
strong  crying  and  tears," ^  prayed:  "0  my  Father,  if 
it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from  me :  nevertheless, 
not  as  I  will,  but  as  thou  wilt."^ 

Dearly  beloved,  all  these  are  patterns  for  you,  and 

1  Phil.  iv.  6,  7.        2  John  xiv.  13.        3  n  Kings  xx.  6. 
4  Ps.  xxxi.  4.  6  Mat.  xiv.  12.  e  Heb.  v.  7. 

'  Mat.  xxvi.  39. 


344  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

when  troubles  threaten,  they  should  be  made  the  sub- 
jects of  special  prayer.  It  is  good  to  have  an  ei-rand 
when  you  go  to  the  mercy-seat.  When  you  are  sick, 
prayer  will  be  the  best  prescription;  when  you  are 
tempted,  prayer  will  be  the  best  shield;  when  you 
are  bereaved,  just  go  and  tell  Jesus;  you  need  not 
wait  till  after  the  funeral,  but  go  at  once,  and  He  will 
have  the  best  sympathy  ready  for  you.  And  above 
all,  Avhen,  soon  or  late,  you  come  to  your  Gethsemane, 
and  the  cup  is  put  into  your  hand,  carry  it  to  the 
tin-one  of  grace,  and  if  it  may  not  pass  away,  you 
shall  see  the  strengthening  angel  flying  down  from 
heaven  to  hold  you  in  his  arms,  and  help  you  to  say 
triumphantly,  "The  cup  which  my  Father  hath  given 
me,  shall  I  not  drink  it?  "^ 

These  things  you  may  do,  and  ought  to  do;  but 
you  should  never  be  afraid  of  future  trials,  as  if  they 
could  harm  you:  "Fear  none  of  those  things  which 
thou  shalt  suffer." 

That  we  may  learn  more  perfectly  the  main  lesson 
of  our  theme,  and  carry  every  thing  to  the  throne 
of  grace,  come  and  let  us  go  for  a  few  moments  to 
Peniel,  that  place  of  great  renown,  where  the  Potter 
and  the  potsherd  strove  together  from  the  going  down 
of  the  sun  to  the  rising  of  the  same,  and  where  the 
potsherd  prevailed.  Jacob  was  returning  home  with 
his  family  and  his  flocks,  and  was  expecting  soon 
to  meet  with  Esau,  his  injured,  angry  brother,  whose 
wrath  had  now  been  nursed  for  more  than  twenty 
years.  The  patriarch  was  never  before  in  so  much 
1  John  xviii.  11. 


THE  FEARFUL    THINGS    WE   FEAR.  345 

danger.  The  first  messenger??,  whom  he  sent  to  Edom, 
had  just  returned,  saying,  "We  came  to  thy  brother 
Esau,  and  also  he  cometh  to  meet  thee,  and  four  hun- 
dred men  with  him.  Then  Jacob  was  greatly  afraid 
and  distressed." ' 

Immediately  he  began  to  make  ready  for  the  great 
emergency.  First  of  all,  he  wisely  divided  his  people 
and  his  possessions  into  two  bands,  reasoning  after 
this  manner:  "If  Esau  come  to  the  one  company,  and 
smite  it,  then  the  other  company  which  is  left  shall 
escape."  -  He  then  went  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace 
to  plead  his  cause,  and  this  was  the  burden  of  his  fer- 
vent prayer:  "Deliver  me,  I  pray  thee,  from  the  hand 
of  my  brother,  from  the  hand  of  Esau :  for  I  fear  him, 
lest  he  will  come  and  smite  me,  and  the  mother  w^ith 
the  children."^  As  soon  as  he  had  done  pra^nng,  he 
sent  Esau  a  princely  present  of  five  hundred  and  fifty 
cattle,  with  such  kindly  messages  as  were  calculated 
to  turn  away  his  anger,  and  touch  his  heart  into 
tenderness. 

Having  done  these  things,  which  were  proper  and 
praiseworthy,  he  seems  to  have  sought  a  little  rest; 
but  there  was  no  rest  for  him  there  that  night.  He 
was  so  troubled  that  he  could  not  sleep ;  the  thought 
of  danger  held  his  eyes  waking,  and  he  rose  up,  and 
sent  his  family  over  the  brook  Jabbok,  and  himself 
was  left  alone;  and  yet  not  alone,  for  straightway 
somebody  closes  with  him,  as  if  for  a  contest.  How 
Jacob  must  have  felt  when  he  thought  that  this  might 
be  one  of  Esau's  four  hundred  men,  or  Esau  himself. 
1  Gen.  xxxii.  6,  7.         2  Qen.  xxxii.  8.         =  Gen.  xxxii.  11. 


346  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

Surely  he  must  be  an  enemy,  for  he  comes  so  hke  a 
foe.  They  wrestle  long,  they  wrestle  hard,  each  striv- 
ing for  the  mastery.  The  first  watch  of  the  night  is 
passed  aAvay,  and  they  are  close  locked  in  each  other's 
arms;  the  second  watch  is  over,  and  still  the  strange 
struggle  is  undecided;  the  third  watch  is  ended,  and 
they  are  striving  as  hard  as  ever;  the  fourth  watch  is 
wearing  the  night  away,  and  Jacob's  thigh  is  out  of 
joint;  but,  though  he  is  crippled,  he  will  not  be  con- 
quered: "  Let  me  go,  for  the  day  breaketh,"^  exclaims 
his  antagonist.  And  Jacob  replies,  or  might  have 
replied,  "  Yes,  the  day  is  breaking — ^the  most  fearful 
day  of  all  my  life,  for  Esau  my  wronged  and  wrathful 
brother  is  approaching  to  execute  the  fierceness  of 
his  anger  upon  me  for  taking  away  his  birthright, 
and  before  yon  rising  sun  is  set,  I,  and  my  wives,  and 
my  children  may  all  be  murdered;  and  now,  in  tlie 
face  of  such  danger,  and  as  a  light  above  the  bright- 
ness of  the  sun  begins  to  dawn  upon  my  soul,  and  I 
know  thee,  who  thou  art,  my  God  and  Saviour,  how 
can  I  let  thee  go  ?  Nay,  nay,  I  will  not  let  thee  go, 
except  thou  bless  me." 

The  conclusion  of  the  contest  is  beautifully  touch- 
ing beyond  all  telling.  Having  received  the  blessing, 
and  crowned  with  beauty  for  ashes,  "  Jacob  lifted  up 
his  eyes  and  looked,  and  behold,  Esau  came ; "  ^  not 
with  bitter  enmity,  but  with  brotherly  love.  His 
long-harbored  hatred  had  given  place  to  the  most 
endearing  afi"ection:  "And  Esau  ran  to  meet  him, 
and  embraced  him,  and  fell  on  his  neck  and  kissed 
»  Gen.  xxxii.  26.  2  Gen.  xxxiii.  1. 


THE  FEARFUL    THINGS   WE  FEAR,  347 

him."^  What  a  delightful  termination  to  all  Jacob's 
anxieties  and  fears ;  and  how  different  the  result  was 
from  what  he  anticipated!  He  expected  to  meet  a 
brother  offended,  but  he  met  a  brother  reconciled; 
he  expected  to  be  received  with  blows,  but  he  was 
received  with  kisses. 

Are  any  of  you  in  such  a  case  ?  Are  your  minds 
filled  with  gloomy  forebodings  of  the  future  ?  do  you 
see  in  the  distance  some  trial  so  appalling  that  you 
can  not  realize  it,  and  yet  so  sure  and  certain  that  it 
is  inevitable  ?  are  you  almost  persuaded  that  it  is  use- 
less to  pray  against  it;  and  is  it  hoping  against  hope 
to  expect  deliverance  from  it  ?  Be  of  good  cheer,  be 
not  afraid,  but  let  your  faith  be  strengthened,  and 
your  hope  brightened  with  this  timely  message  from 
God  unto  thee:  "Fear  not,  thou  worm  Jacob,  and  ye 
men  of  Israel:  I  will  help  thee,  saith  the  Lord,  and 
thy  Redeemer,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel.  Behold,  I  will 
make  thee  a  new  sharp  threshing  instrument  having 
teeth :  thou  shalt  thresh  the  mountains,  and  beat  them 
small,  and  shalt  make  the  hills  as  chaff.  Thou  shalt 
fan  them,  and  the  wind  shall  carry  them  away,  and 
the  Avhirlwind  shall  scatter  them :  and  thou  shalt  re- 
joice in  the  Lord,  and  shalt  glory  in  the  Holy  One 
of  Israel."^ 

1  Gen.  xxxiii.  4.  2  Isa.  xli.  14,  16. 


34^  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

Blessed  Jesus,  thou  art  our  guide  to  lead  us  in  thine 
own  light  way,  and  our  guard  to  defend  us  from  every 
danger.  Thou  art  our  sun  and  our  shield:  our  sun 
that  never  sets  in  the  darkness  of  night,  and  our 
shield  that  never  breaks  in  the  day  of  battle.  Let 
it  please  thee  to  grant  us  grace  and  glory  in  such 
good  measure  that  we  may  have  the  best  fruits  of  the 
better  country  before  we  get  there.  When  our  souls 
are  cast  down  and  disquieted  within  us,  by  reason  of 
the  fearful  things  we  fear,  lift  up  the  light  of  thy 
countenance  upon  us,  and  let  us  hear  thy  voice  say- 
ing unto  us,  Be  of  good  cheer;  it  is  I;  be  not  afraid. 
We  are  Aveak  but  thou  art  miglity ;  gird  us  about  with 
thine  own  omnipotence  and  make  us  more  than  equal 
to  the  greatest  emergency;  for  we  wrestle  not  against 
flesh  and  blood,  but  against  principalities,  against 
powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this 
world,  against  spiritual  wickedness  in  high  places. 
Lead  us  not  into  temptation;  but  deliver  us  from  evil. 
Deliver  us  from  the  evil  one,  from  every  evil  way  and 
from  our  own  evil  hearts.  Save  us  from  the  fear  of 
fearful  things,  and  let  neither  sickness  nor  temptation 
nor  bereavement  nor  death  have  dominion  over  us  any 
more.  And  by  thy  real  presence  make  the  valley  of 
Achor  so  bright  a  door  of  hope  that  it  shall  be  to  us 
the  very  door  of  heaven. 


THE   FEAR    OF   FEARFUL   THINGS. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

^'■Fear  no7ie  of  those  thing.s  which  thou  shall  stiffer^ — Rev.  ii.  lo. 

NOT  many  years  ago,  it  became  our  duty,  and 
it  was  just  as  much  a  pleasure,  to  gather  the 
fruit  from  a  certain  apple-tree  in  the  orchard.  The 
tree  was  good,  and  the  apples  were  good,  though  they 
were  not  very  plenty,  and  we  expected  to  gather  all 
of  them  in  a  little  while,  never  thinking  that  there 
would  be  more  than  one  basketful.  But  we  were 
disappointed;  for  when  our  basket  was  running  over 
there  seemed  to  be  more  fruit  on  the  tree,  than  we 
had  taken  from  it;  and  after  we  had  carried  home 
our  load,  we  emptied  the  basket,  and  returned  to 
the  tree,  and  filled  it  again  the  second  time;  and, 
even  then,  some  of  the  best  apples  were  left  hang- 
ing on  the  topmost  branches,  to  Avhich  we  could  not 
climb. 

We  were  reminded  of  this  incident  by  what  has 
happened  to  us  in  regard  to  our  text.  We  came 
to  it,  as  we  went  to  that  apple-tree;  we  climbed  up 
into  it,  confidently  expecting  to  gather  all  its  precious 
fruit  at  once ;  but  before  our  basket  was  filled,  we  per- 
ceived that  we  would  have  to  come  back  again.  And 
for  this  you  may  feel  sorry,  because  a  second  sermon 
from  the  same  text,  on  the  same  Sabbath,  is  not  much 


352  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

to  be  desired;  nor  would  it  seem  strange  if  some  of 
you  Avere  thinking  that  we  tarried  too  long  in  the 
tree  this  morning, — for  we  did  remain  longer  than 
we  intended, — but,  it  was  so  good  to  be  there,  we 
could  not  come  down  any  sooner;  and  surely  this 
small  transgression  sliould  be  pardoned,  Avhen  we 
did  it  altogether  for  your  sakes. 

We  perceived  that  with  some  of  you  the  harvest 
was  passing  and  the  summer  was  ending.  We  saAV 
the  gray  hairs, — the  white  frost  that  had  fallen  on  your 
heads, — and  thinking  that  the  coming  winter  might 
be  long  and  cold  and  cheerless,  it  was  tlie  desire  of  our 
heart  to  gather  some  winter  fruit  for  you;  that  you 
might  have  something  laid  by  in  store  against  the 
time  of  need.  We  were  anticipating  the  season,  per- 
haps not  far  distant,  when  sorrow  would  come,  and 
you  would  be  saying:  "Comfort  me  with  apples,  for 
I  am  sick  and  tempted  and  bereaved,  and  the  time 
of  my  departure  is  at  hand." 

It  Avas  for  this  reason  that  we  gathered  for  you 
some  fruit,  from  the  sweet  apple-tree  of  the  text,  this 
morning.  And  we  are  coming  back  to  gather  some 
more  for  you  this  afternoon;  and  when  we  have  filled 
our  basket  the  second  time,  mucli  ripe  fruit  will  still 
remain  beyond  our  reach;  for  our  ladder  is  not  long 
enough  to  take  us  all  the  way  up  into  the  top  of  this 
text:  "Fear  none  of  those  things  which  thou  shalt 
suffer." 

The  things  which  you  shall  suffer,  we  have  already 
enumerated.  You  may  expect  them;  you  may  feel 
concerned  about  them;  you  may  prepare  for  them; 


THE  FEAR   OF  FEARFUL    THINGS.  353 

you  may  pray  to  be  delivered  irom  them;  but  you 
should  never  fear  them. 

You  should  never  fear  them,  because  there  is  a 
limit  set  to  them.  When  our  way  has  been  dark  and 
crooked  and  rough,  we  have  derived  much  comfort 
irom  that  common  proverb:  "The  longest  road  has 
a  turning."  Hope,  the  charmer,  springs  eternal  in 
the  human  breast,  and  keeps  the  fainting  heart  from 
breaking. 

Perhaps  the  desired  and  expected  bend  is  near,  and 
just  beyond  it  the  road  is  bright  and  straight  and 
smooth:  "The  Lord  turned  the  captivity  of  Job,  when 
he  prayed  for  his  friends:  also  the  Lord  gave  Job 
twice  as  much  as  he  had  before ;  "  ^  and  in  the  names 
of  his  three  fair  daughters  he  commemorated  God's 
loving-kindness,  in  the  dawning  of  a  brigliter  day, 
fragrant  with  the  flowers  of  health  and  Avealth,  and 
filled  with  all  manner  of  good  things  poured  from  the 
horn  of  heaven's  plenty.  But,  turn  or  no  turn,  the 
longest  road  will  have  a  termination.  There  is  a 
limit  set  to  your  suffering  time:  "now  for  a  season, 
if  need  be,  ye  are  in  heaviness;"^  but  the  season  will 
come  to  an  end.  You  may  have  a  hundred  crosses  to 
carry,  but  in  a  little  while  you  will  have  only  ninety 
and  nine;  and  after  ninety  and  nine  little  Avhiles,  you 
will  have  none.  The  deepest  pit  in  this  world  has  a 
bottom ;  the  widest  sea  has  a  shore,  and  all  its  weaves 
and  billows  and  waterspouts  are  numbered  and  meas- 
in-ed  and  bridled:  "Hitherto  shalt  thou  come,  but  no 
further;  and  here  shall  thy  proud  waves  be  stayed."' 

J  Job  xlii.  10.  2  I  Pet.  1-6.  3  Job  xxxviii.  11. 

23 


354  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

Every  tear  is  counted,  and  kept  as  a  sacred  treasure 
in  heaven:  "Put  thou  my  tears  into  thy  bottle:  are 
they  not  in  thy  book  ?  "  Even  the  Arctic  night  has 
a  morning.  After  Dr.  Kane  had  been  dwelhng  in 
darkness  for  one  hundred  and  forty  days,  the  blessed 
light  came  at  last;  and  as  he  eagerly  climbed  the 
crag  and  "  nestled  in  the  sunshine,  it  was  like  bath- 
ing in  perfumed  water." 

So  your  night  of  sorrow  may  be  long,  but  it  has  a 
limit;  it  may  be  lasting,  but  it  can  not  be  everlast- 
ing; it  may  be  dark,  but  it  will  not  be  always  dark: 
"For  His  anger  endureth  but  a  moment;  in  His  favor 
is  life:  weeping  may  endure  for  a  night,  but  joy 
Cometh  in  the  morning."^  And,  better  still,  with 
some  of  you,  "The  night  is  far  spent," ^  the  day  is 
at  hand:  the  day  without  the  night,  when  you  shall 
have  fulness  of  joy  and  pleasures  for  evermore. 

A  minister  was  once  preaching  on  our  text;  the 
whole  verse  was  his  theme:  "Fear  none  of  those 
things  which  thou  shalt  suffer:  behold,  the  devil  shall 
cast  some  of  you  into  prison,  that  ye  may  be  tried; 
and  ye  shall  have  tribulation  ten  days :  be  thou  faith- 
ful unto  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life."' 
An  humble  woman,  herself  in  great  tribulation  at  the 
time,  was  deeply  impressed  by  the  exact  limit  Avhich 
the  text  seemed  so  absolutely  to  fix  to  that  particular 
instance  of  Satan's  power;  and  as  she  passed  along 
the  street,  she  was  heard  to  say,  "  Blessed  be  God,  it 
can  not  be  eleven;  no,  it  can  not  be  eleven." 

It  is  probable  that  the  Master  also  comforted  Him- 
i  Ps.  XXX.  5.  2  Eom.  xiii.  12.  s  Rev.  ii.  10. 


THE  FEAR   OF  FEARFUL    THINGS.  355 

self  in  the  same  manner,  when  He  began  to  be  bap- 
tized with  the  baptism  of  our  sins  and  our  sorrows: 
"Father,  the  hour  is  come."^  Might  not  the  short- 
ness of  that  season  have  revived  His  fainting  spirit, 
and  renewed  His  faihng  strength  ?  Yes,  the  hour  is 
come;  but  I  will  be  of  good  cheer,  and  bear  it  bravely, 
because  it  will  soon  be  over.  It  is  the  hour,  but  only 
an  hour,  and  can  not  be  one  moment  more. 

And  perhaps  the  strengthening  angel  comforted  and 
encouraged  Jesus  with  the  same  assurance  in  Geth- 
semane.  Lifting  Him  up  tenderly  from  the  bloody 
ground,  and  wiping  away  the  bloody  sweat  from  His 
blessed  face,  and  helping  Him  to  hold  the  cup  to  His 
quivering  lips,  I  can  almost  hear  him  saying,  "  Lord 
of  glory  drink;  the  cup  is  bitter,  but  not  bottomless. 
The  hour  is  come;  the  hour  is  going;  the  hour  is 
almost  gone;  only  a  few  moments  more,  and  all  this 
agony  Avill  be  over  and  ended  forever." 

With  this  same  thought  we  also  may  comfort  and 
encourage  one  another.  There  is  much  good  cheer, 
and  strong  consolation,  in  the  glorious  hope  that  our 
sorrows  will  soon  be  over.  The  times  may  be  hard, 
the  bank  may  be  broken,  and  there  may  be  no  work 
in  the  factory;  but  these  things  will  not  continue. 
In  the  days  of  Jeremiah,  the  times  Avere  hard  in  Ca- 
naan, and  the  dreadful  work  of  war  was  the  only 
work  the  people  liad  to  do.  Nebuchadnezzar,  the 
king  of  Babylon,  invaded  the  country  and  laid  it 
waste  everywhere.  His  grand  army  came  marching 
over  the  mountains,  and  like  a  great  snake,  with  coils 

'  John  xvii.  1. 


356  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

of  brass  and  fangs  of  steel,  began  to  wind  itself  around 
the  walls  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  fail  of  the  holy  city 
was  only  a  question  of  time.  And,  sorer  still,  the 
weeping  prophet  Avas  shut  up  in  prison,  and,  better 
than  any  body  else,  he  knew  the  terrible  sufferings 
of  the  near  future ;  but  yet  he  had  so  much  confidence 
in  the  divine  promise,  "  Houses  and  fields  and  vine- 
yards shall  be  possessed  again  in  this  land,"^  that  he 
bought  a  parcel  of  ground  in  "the  country  of  Benja- 
min," from  his  cousin  Avho  came  to  him  in  the  prison. 
Anathoth  was  in  possession  of  the  enemy;  but  Jer- 
emiah bought  the  field  and  paid  for  it,  and  put  the 
title  deeds  in  an  earthen  vessel  and  laid  them  away 
for  better  times.  And  after  a  Avliile  the  better  times 
came;  and  Avith  them  came  joy  and  gladness  and 
great  prosperity.  "When  the  Lord  turned  again  the 
captiA^ity  of  Zion,  Ave  Avere  like  them  that  dream. 
Then  Avas  our  mouth  filled  Avith  laughter,  and  our 
tongue  Avith  singing :  then  said  they  among  the 
heathen.  The  Lord  hath  done  great  things  for  them."' 
And,  blessed  be  His  glorious  name,  "  This  God  is  our 
God  forever  and  ever";^  He  is  "our  OAvn  God,"*  and 
our  "exceeding  joy";""  and  He  Avill  do  greater  things 
for  us.  "Why  art  thou  cast  doAvn,  0  my  soul?  and 
why  art  thou  disquieted  AAathin  me  ?  hope  thou  in 
God:  for  I  shall  yet  praise  Him,  Avho  is  the  health  of 
my  countenance  and  ni}^  God."® 

In  suffering  you  shall  liaA^e  sufficient  grace.     Grace 
is  never  giA-en  to  be  laid  up  in  store,  but  to  be  laid 

1  Jer.  xxxii.  15.        2  ps.  cxxvi.  1,  2.        3  Ps.  xlviii.  14. 
*  Ps.  Ixvii.  6.  a  Ps.  xliii.  4.  c  Ps.  xlii.  11. 


THE  FEAR   OF  FEARFUL    THINGS.  357 

out  in  service;  it  is  given  for  present  not  for  future 
need;  and,  like  the  talents  in  the  parable,  it  may  be 
doubled,  if  wisely  used,  and  so  it  may  be  constantly 
increased,  and  made  equal  to  any  and  every  emer- 
gency; and  where  grief  abounds,  grace  shall  much 
more  abound.  If,  then,  you  have  grace  enough  for 
the  present,  you  ought  to  be  contented,  and  trustful 
for  the  future,  because,  "  God  is  able  to  make  all 
grace  abound  toward  you ;  that  ye,  always  having  all 
sufficiency  in  all  things  may  abound  to  every  good 
work."^ 

When  trouble  comes,  it  will  be  time  enough  to 
look  for  strength  to  bear  it.  Then,  in  answer  to  your 
prevailing  prayer,  you  shall  hear  the  Saviour  saying, 
"My  grace  is  sufficient  for  tliee."^  Behold,  what  a 
message  from  heaven  this  is !  Every  word  is  won- 
derful and  full  of  love  divine.  See  how  it  grows! 
Grace;  my  grace;  my  grace  is  sufficient;  my  grace  is 
sufficient  for  thee.  Your  Almighty  Friend  will  suit 
His  yoke  to  your  neck,  and  your  neck  to  His  yoke, 
and  then  it  will  be  easy;  He  will  fit  His  burden  to 
your  back,  and  your  back  to  His  burden,  and  then  it 
Avill  be  light:  "God  is  faithful,  who  Avill  not  suffer 
you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  are  able;"^  "He 
stayeth  His  rough  wind  in  the  day  of  the  east  wind."* 
He  will  prepare  His  way  for  your  feet,  by  sending 
the  promises,  like  so  many  laboring  men  to  repair  the 
road,  "and  the  crooked  shall  be  made  straight,  and 
the  rough  places  plain ;"°  and   He  Avill  also  prepare 

J  II  Cor.  ix.  8.  2  II  Cor.  xii.  9.  3  i  Cor.  x.  13. 

*  Isa.  xxvii.  8.  ^  Isa.  xl.  4. 


358  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

your  feet  for  His  way:  "Thy  shoes  shall  be  iron  and 
brass;  and  as  thy  days,  so  shall  thy  strength  be."^ 
He  will  give  grace  for  your  troubles  as  they  come, 
one  by  one ;  and  for  the  blessings  which  they  bring, 
you  shall  be  in  love  with  them,  and  count  them  all 
joy,  and  glory  in  them.  "  Beloved,  think  it  not  strange 
concerning  the  fiery  trial  which  is  to  try  you,  as 
though  some  strange  thing  happened  unto  you :  but 
rejoice,  inasmuch  as  ye  are  partakers  of  Christ's  suf- 
ferings; that  when  His  glory  shall  be  revealed,  ye 
may  be  glad  also  with  exceeding  joy."  ^ 

It  was  when  John  Bunyan  was  in  prison  that  he 
thus  wrote  to  magnify  the  grace  which  was  given 
unto  him :  "  I  never  knew  what  it  was  for  God  to 
stand  by  me  at  all  turns,  and  at  every  oifer  of  Satan 
to  afflict  me,  as  I  have  found  since  I  came  in  hither; 
for  look  how  fears  have  presented  themselves,  so 
have  supports  and  encouragements.  Yea,  when  I 
have  started  even,  as  it  were,  at  nothing  else  but  my 
shadow,  yet  God,  as  being  very  tender  of  me,  hath 
not  suffered  me  to  be  molested;  but  would  with  one 
Scripture  or  another  strengthen  me  against  all,  inso- 
much that  I  have  often  said,  were  it  lawful,  I  could 
pray  for  greater  trouble,  for  the  greater  comfort's 
sake." 

Your  Saviour  will  be  with  you  in  suffering.  Ap- 
prehensions of  evil  are  the  swift  chariots  in  which 
Jesus  comes  driving  down  from  heaven,  as  fast  as 
He  can;  and  as  soon  as  He  alights.  He  says  to  those 
who  are  of  a  fearful  heart:  "Fear  not;  for  I  have  re- 

'  Deut.  sxxiii.  25.  2  I  Pet.  iv.  12,  13. 


THE  FEAR   OF  FEARFUL    THINGS.  359 

deemed  tliee,  I  have  called  thee  by  thy  name;  thou 
art  mine.  AVhen  thou  passest  through  the  waters,  I 
will  be  with  thee ;  and  through  the  rivers,  they  shall 
not  overflow  thee;  when  thou  walkest  through  the 
fire,  thou  shalt  not  be  burned ;  neither  shall  the  flame 
kindle  upon  thee.  For  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  the 
Holy  One  of  Israel,  thy  Saviour."  ^ 

Christ  was  with  the  three  heroic  Hebrews  in  the 
burning  fiery  furnace.  The  cruel  king  of  Babylon 
saw  Him  there  and  confessed  it.  With  astonish- 
ment he  said  to  his  counsellors:  "Did  not  we  cast 
three  men  bound  into  the  midst  of  the  fire?  They 
answered  and  said  unto  the  king,  True  0  king.  He 
answered  and  said,  Lo,  I  see  four  men  loose,  walking 
in  the  midst  of  the  fire,  and  they  have  no  hurt;  and 
the  form  of  the  fourth  is  like  the  Son  of  God."  ^  The 
furnace  was  so  exceeding  hot,  that  the  bursting  flames 
actually  burned  up  the  soldiers  who  cast  Shadrach, 
Meshach,  Abed-nego  into  it ;  but  they  only  burned  ofi" 
the  cords  with  which  these  noble  martyi's  were  bound 
that  they  might  walk  with  Him  who  "  quenched  the 
violence  of  fire."' 

Christ  was  also  with  Daniel  in  the  lions'  den,  and 
preserved  the  life  of  his  faithful  servant.  Darius,  the 
king,  was  greatly  distressed  about  his  unchangeable 
decree,  when  he  saw  the  design  of  it;  for  there  was 
no  man  in  all  the  realm  whom  he  respected  so  much 
as  the  great  prime  minister.  And  when  his  majesty 
ordered  the  wicked  law  to  be  executed,  it  is  not 
strange  that  he  could  not  sleep,  and  passed  the  night 
1  Isa.  xliii.  1-3.         2  Dan.  iii.  24,  25.         3  Heb.  xi.  34 


360  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

fasting,  and  rose  "very  early  in  the  morning  and 
"vvent  in  haste  unto  the  den  of  hons.  And  Avhen  he 
came  to  the  den,  he  cried  Avith  a  lamentable  voice 
unto  Daniel:  and  the  king  spake  and  said  to  Daniel, 

0  Daniel,  servant  of  the  living  God,  is  thy  God,  whom 
thou  servest  continually,  able  to  deliver  thee  from  the 
lions?  Then  said  Daniel  unto  the  king,  0  king,  live 
forever.  JMy  God  hath  sent  His  angel  and  hath  shut 
the  lions'  mouths,  that  they  have  not  hurt  me."^ 

This  same  Jesus,  the  angel  of  the  covenant,  is 
always  present  with  all  His  suffering  people  in  all 
their  sorrows.  Just  before  He  went  up  to  heaven, 
He  said,  '•  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway."^  In  the  part- 
ing moment.  He  promised  His  perpetual  presence: 
"I  am  going  away,  nevertheless  I  will  be  with  you 
still;  and  you  must  not  think  of  me  as  ever  absent, 
for  I  shall  never  be  absent.  I  am  with  you  ahvay. 
In  sickness,  temptation,  bereavement,  and  death,  lo, 

1  am  with  you."  And  Christ  in  suffering  is  Christ 
indeed. 

AVhen  we  begin  the  voyage  of  the  better  life.  He 
will  embark  Avitli  us,  and  thenceforth  He  Avill  be  with 
us  through  pleasant  and  through  stormy  weather.  He 
Avill  be  with  us  when  the  sea  is  smooth;  and  when  the 
sea  is  rough  He  will  be  with  us  still;  nor  will  He 
ever  fail  us  or  forsake  us:  "He  shall  deliver  thee  in  six 
troubles;  yea  in  seven  there  shall  no  evil  touch  thee."' 
Christ  in  the  vessel  is  no  security  against  the  tempest ; 
but,  blessed  be  His  name,  the  ship  in  Avliich  He  sails 
can  never  go  under ;  and  so  we  can  sing  in  all  storms : 
»  Dan.  vi.  19-22.        2  Mat.  xsviii.  20.        3  Job  v.  19. 


THE  FEAR   OF  FEARFUL    THINGS.  36 1 

*' God  is  our  refuge  and  strength,  a  very  present  help 
in  trouble.  Therefore  will  not  we  fear,  though  the 
earth  be  removed,  and  though  the  mountains  be  car- 
ried into  the  midst  of  the  sea:  though  the  waters 
thereof  roar  and  be  troubled,  though  the  mountains 
shake  with  the  swelling  thereof"^ 

Your  sufferings  Avill  do  you  good.  Suffiering  is  a 
grace  like  faith,  it  is  also  a  means  of  grace  like  prayer. 
It  is  both  the  spring  and  the  channel  from  which  and 
through  which  Ave  receive  grace  for  grace:  "For  unto 
you  it  is  given  in  tlie  behalf  of  Christ,  not  only  to 
believe  on  Him,  but  also  to  suffer  for  His  sake."^ 
Many  afflictions  are  sent  upon  us,  not  because  we 
have  gone  astray,  but  to  prevent  us  from  going 
astray,  and  to  make  us  more  holy  and  more  heav- 
enly-minded. There  is  a  rod  of  consolation,  as  Avell 
as  a  rod  of  correction,  "Thy  rod  and  thy  staff  they 
comfort  me."^ 

Joseph's  personal  piety  was  the  occasion  of  his  being 
sold  into  slavery ;  and  his  personal  purity  was  the  oc- 
casion of  his  being  cast  into  prison.  But,  under  the 
circumstances,  slavery  in  Egypt  was  better  for  Joseph 
than  freedom  in  Canaan;  and  the  prison  was  a  safer 
place  for  him  than  Potiphar's  house.  Besides,  these 
downward  steps  in  the  valley  of  humiliation  brought 
him  out  into  a  Avealthy  place,  and  up  into  "the  second 
chariot"*  of  tlie  king;  and  the  servant  was  above  his 
master. 

The  life  of  every  Christian  is  like  Samson's  riddle, 

1  Ps.  xlvi.  1-3.  2  Phil.  i.  29. 

a  Ps.  xxiii.  4.  ■*  Gen.  xli.  43. 


363  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

"  Out  of  the  eater  came  forth  meat,  and  out  of  the 
strong  came  forth  sweetness."^  The  PhiHstines  will 
never  be  able  to  explam  it;  but  to  the  suffering  people 
of  God  it  is  not  hard  to  be  understood.  By  the  grace 
of  Christ,  they  slay  the  lion  which  was  seeking  to 
devour  them,  and  the  next  time  they  pass  that  Avay 
they  find  a  hive  of  honey  in  his  decaying  carcass; 
something  that  is  very  sweet  unto  the  taste,  and  very 
refreshing  too.  Such  a  pleasant  surprise,  how  good 
it  is,  and  how  often  it  occurs ! 

It  is  the  belief  of  the  savage  that  the  spirit  of  eveiy 
enemy  he  slays  enters  into  himself  and  is  added  to 
his  own;  and,  desiring  to  accumulate  a  warrior's 
strength  against  the  day  of  battle,  he  slays  all  he 
can.  Is  it  your  desire  to  become  strong  in  the  Lord 
and  in  the  power  of  His  might?  Then  "Why  with- 
drawest  thou  thy  hand,  even  thy  right  hand  ?  pluck 
it  out  of  thy  bosom,"  ^  and,  taking  the  sword  of  the 
Spirit,  let  your  enemies  fall  before  you.  Every  sin 
you  smite  down,  every  sorrow  you  subdue,  shall  so 
strengthen  your  faith  that  in  a  little  while  you  may 
go  to  the  funeral  of  your  fears. 

It  was  through  repeated  trials  and  triumphs  that 
David  became  strong.  The  king  of  Israel  was  amazed 
when  he  saw  the  stripling  who  had  accepted  Goliath's 
challenge:  "And  Saul  said  to  David,  Thou  art  not 
able  to  go  against  this  Philistine  to  fight  Avith  him : 
for  thou  art  but  a  youth,  and  he  a  man  of  war  from 
his  youth.  And  David  said  unto  Saul,  Thy  servant 
kept  his  father's  sheep,  and  there  came  a  lion  and  a 
'  Judges  xiv.  14.  2  ps.  Ixxiv.  11. 


THE  FEAR   OF  FEARFUL    THINGS.  363 

bear,  and  took  a  lamb  out  of  the  flock:  and  T  Avent 
after  him,  and  smote  him,  and  deHvered  it  out  of  his 
mouth:  and  when  he  arose  against  me,  I  caught  him 
by  the  beard,  and  smote  him,  and  slew  him.  Thy 
servant  slew  both  the  lion  and  the  bear:  and  this  un- 
circumcised  Philistine  shall  be  as  one  of  them."^  And, 
sure  enough,  it  was  even  so ;  for,  when  the  stripling 
returned  from  the  slaughter  field,  he  brought  the 
giant's  dripping  head  in  one  hand,  and  his  reeking 
sword  in  the  other. 

Soon  after  this,  David  was  in  greater  danger  of  his 
life  from  the  wrath  of  that  same  Saul  whom  he  had 
served  so  well.  "Saul  eyed  David," ^  and  envied  him, 
and  went  about  "breathing  out  threatenings  and 
slaughter"^  against  him.  As  he  was  hunted  Avith 
savage  hate,  the  coming  man  once  fled  into  the  Tab- 
ernacle and  asked  for  a  weapon  of  defence.  The 
priest  informed  him  that  there  Avas  none  there,  ex- 
cept the  sAvord  of  Goliath.  "  And  David  said.  There 
is  none  like  that;  giA^e  it  me."* 

In  our  spiritual  warfare  there  are  no  Aveapons  like 
those  Avith  which  Ave  vanquish  our  enemies.  The 
sword  Avith  Avhich  we  have  cut  oif  the  head  of  some 
giant  sin,  or  smote  to  death  some  toAvering  tempta- 
tion, or  pierced  through  some  pining  sorroAv,  "  there 
is  none  like  that;  give  it  me,"  that  steel  is  tried  and 
proved. 

Time  Avould  fail  us  to  speak  of  the  various  Avays  in 
which  afilictions  Avill  do  us  good.     They  Avill  make 

1  I  Sam.  xvii.  33-36.  2  i  Sam.  xviii.  9. 

3  Acts  ix.  1.  4  1  Sam.  xxi.  9. 


364  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

lis  wiser  and  better,  as  well  as  stronger.  Sickness 
and  bereavement  are  the  best  school-masters  in  the 
world ;  and  sorrow's  commentary  on  the  Scriptures  is 
the  most  complete  and  comprehensive  with  which  we 
are  acquainted.  The  Bible  seems  like  another  book 
when  read  through  one's  tears  and  in  the  valley  of 
Achor.  And  if  Paul  could  speak  down  from  heaven 
on  this  subject,  he  would  say,  that  the  "  thorn  in  the 
flesh "  was  a  better  teacher  than  Gamaliel ;  a  better 
preacher  than  himself  "And  he  took  the  elders  of 
the  city,  and  thorns  of  the  wilderness,  and  briers,  and 
with  them  he  taught  the  men  of  Succoth."^ 

Trouble  is  a  good  microscope  by  Avhich  w^e  can 
examine  ourselves  more  perfectly,  and  every  time 
we  look  through  it,  Ave  find  many  faults  Ave  never 
saAv  before.  Even  the  very  best  of  Christians  can  not 
tell  hoAv  bad  they  are  till  they  are  tried,  and  no  person 
thoroughly  knoAvs  himself  When  Elisha  told  him 
the  evil  that  he  AV'ould  do  Hazael  Avas  indignant;  but 
Avith  treason  hiding  in  his  heart  at  the  time,  he  re- 
turned to  the  royal  palace,  murdered  his  master  "on 
the  morroAv,"  and  straightAvay  proved  himself  Avorse 
than  his  own  "dog."- 

Trouble  is  also  a  good  telescope  tlirough  Avhich  Ave 
can  see  the  promises  afar  off  shining  like  the  brightest 
stars  in  the  sky  of  the  Scriptures.  And  the  night  of 
Aveeping  is  the  set  time  for  making  celestial  observa- 
tions: "Night  unto  night  shoAveth  knoAvledge." ^ 

These  are  some  of  the  reasons  Avhy  you  ought  not  to 
fear  those  things  Avhich  you  shall  suffer.     We  might 

.    »  Judges  viii.  16.  2  n  Kings  Tiii.  13.  s  Ps.  six.  2. 


THE  FEAR  OF  FEARFUL    THINGS.  365 

say  more  on  our  timely  theme;  but  a  kindred  tlionglit 
suggests  itself  here,  as  the  conclusion  of  the  whole 
matter;  it  is  this:  if  you  need  fear  none  of  those 
things  which  you  shall  suffer,  then  surely  you  need 
not  fear  those  things  which  you  may  suffer  only  in 
anticipation. 

There  are  some  sombre  Christians  to  whom  the 
future  is  all  dark,  and  always  dark,  and  its  shadows 
are  stretched  out  over  the  present,  to  eclipse  all  its 
pleasures.  When  Mr.  Great-Heart  and  his  compan- 
ions killed  Giant  Despair,  and  demolished  Doubting. 
Castle,  they  found  in  the  dungeon  "one  ^Ir.  Despond- 
ency, almost  starved  to  death,  and  one  ^luch- Afraid 
his  daughter;  these  two  they  saved  alive."  And, 
strange  to  say,  these  two  are  living  still:  their  hearts 
are  faint;  their  faith  is  small;  their  hope  is  dim; 
and  because  they  can  neither  fight  nor  fly,  they  are 
liable  to  be  taken  prisoners  again.  They  go  down- 
cast all  their  days,  and  subject  to  bondage;  you 
never  see  them  smiling,  and  they  are  never  of  good 
cheer.  All  the  imaginary  bitter  of  the  future  is 
drained  out  into  the  sweet  cup  of  the  present,  and 
poisons  all. 

For  many  years  "our  father  Jacob"  was  such  a 
man.  He  was  the  weeping  patriarch;  but  most  of 
bis  tears  might  have  been  spared.  He  was  almost 
distracted  when  he  said,  "Joseph  is  not,  and  Simeon 
is  not,  and  ye  will  take  Benjamin  away:  all  these 
things  are  against  me."^  Let  us  see  now  if  it  was 
really  so  ?    When  the  brethren  came  back  from  Egypt 

»  Gen.  xlii.  36. 


366  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

Simeon  was  with  them,  and  Benjamin  was  with  them ; 
and,  better  still,  they  brought  these  glad  tidings  of 
great  joy  to  their  broken-hearted  father:  "Joseph  is 
yet  alive,  and  he  is  governor  over  all  the  land  of 
Egypt."  > 

Moreover,  for  more  than  twenty  years  Jacob  w^as 
anticipating  an  unhappy  death.  When  he  first  saw 
Joseph's  coat,  once  of  many  colors,  but  now  all  red 
with  blood,  he  thought  his  dearest  child  was  dead, 
and  refused  to  be  comforted,  saying,  "  I  will  go  down 
into  the  grave  unto  my  son  mourning."^  He  expected 
nothing  else,  but  that,  soon  or  late,  his  gray  hairs 
would  come  down  with  "sorrow  to  the  grave." ^  Such 
w^ere  his  long-cherished  apprehensions  concerning  the 
manner  of  his  departure.  But  God  was  better  to 
him  than  his  fears.  If  his  former  days  were  "few 
and  evil,"*  his  latter  days  were  filled  with  good  and 
crowned  with  "  beauty  for  ashes."  He  had  his  dwell- 
ing-place in  the  best  of  the  land  of  Egypt:  there,  in 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  his  best  and  most  beloved 
son,  the  last  seventeen  years  of  his  pilgrimage  passed 
pleasantly  away.  He  had  peace  and  riches  and  honor 
in  abundance.     "  At  evening  time  it  shall  be  light."  * 

And  now  let  us  go  even  to  Goshen,  and  see  how 
his  gray  hairs  went  down,  not  with  sorrow  but  with 
glory,  to  the  grave.  There  stands  the  royal  chariot 
at  the  door;  Joseph  has  come,  and  Ephraim  and  Ma- 
nasseh  are  with  him.  All  the  twelve  patriarchs  are 
there,  gathered  round  their  dying  father  to  receive 

1  Gen.  xlv.  26.        2  Gen.  xxxArii.  35.        3  Gen.  xlii.  38. 
4  Gen.  xlvii.  9.        ^  Zecli.  xiv.  7. 


THE  FEAR   OF  FEARFUL    THINGS.  367 

his  dying  blessing:  "And  Israel  said  unto  Joseph,  I 
had  not  thought  to  see  thy  face:  and,  lo,  God  hath 
showed  me  also  thy  seed."^  With  the  laying  on  of 
hands  he  blessed  them  all,  and  divided  the  land  of 
promise  among  them;  and  then,  with  prayers  and 
praises,  he  passed  away  and  was  gathered  to  his  peo- 
ple. "  By  faith  Jacob,  when  he  was  a  dying,  blessed 
both  the  sons  of  Joseph;  and  worshipped  leaning  upon 
the  top  of  his  staff. "^ 

Perhaps  there  are  some  here  present  whose  antici- 
pations are  something  like  those  of  Jacob.  You  are 
old  and  gray-headed,  poor  and  friendless,  and  tor- 
mented day  and  night  with  the  fear  of  fearful  things. 
Many  years  ago  the  companion  of  your  pilgrimage — 
your  beautiful  and  beloved  Kachel — "died,  and  was 
buried  in  the  way."^  All  your  children,  whom  you 
hoped  would  be  the  comfort  of  your  declining  age, 
have  been  gathered  to  the  grave ;  and  there  you  stand 
alone,  like  some  old,  branchless,  broken  oak  in  the 
open  field.  You  are  admonished  by  the  advancing 
years,  and  frequent  indisposition,  that  the  end  is 
near;  and  you  are  troubled  when  you  think  that 
there  is  none  to  be  with  you  in  the  time  of  often 
infirmity;  none  to  minister  to  your  wants  in  your 
last  sickness;  and  that  you  will  be  borne  to  your 
burial  by  the  hands  of  strangers,  and  laid  away,  it 
may  be,  in  the  potter's  field. 

We  will  make  no  apology  for  saying  plainly,  that 
all  such  thoughts  are  positively  wicked ;  such  fearful 
forebodings  are  exceeding  sinful.  There  is  One  who 
>  Gen.  xlviii.  11.  2  Heb.  xi.  21.  3  Gen.  xxxv.  19. 


368  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

will  be  with  yon  in  the  time  of  old  age:  "Even  to 
yonr  old  age  I  am  He ;  and  even  to  hoar  hairs  will  I 
cany  yon:  I  have  made,  and  I  will  bear;  even  I  will 
cany,  and  will  deUver  yon."^  There  is  One  who  Avill 
be  with  yon  in  yonr  last  illness.  Jesns,  who  is  better 
than  ten  sons,  and  "the  chiefest  among  ten  thousand," 
will  make  all  yonr  bed  for  yon.  Nay,  His  own  dear 
breast  shall  be  yonr  dying  bed,  and  yon  shall  breathe 
yonr  life  ont  sweetly  there  in  His  embrace.  And  so 
far  as  the  burial  is  concerned,  surely,  you  should  not 
be  troubled  about  that,  since  it  is  written:  "The 
beggar  died,  and  was  carried  by  the  angels  into 
Abraham's  bosom."  ^  How  imposingly  magnificent ! 
how  beautiful  and  glorious  beyond  expression!  angels 
for  bearers;  and  Abraham's  bosom  for  a  cemetery! 
No  burial  is  worthy  to  be  compared  Avith  this;  no,  not 
even  the  burial  of  "Moses  my  servant,"^  Avhose  grave 
was  prepared,  and  whose  body  was  covered  by  the 
very  hands  of  God  Himself 

"  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled,  neither  let  it  be 
afraid."'*  "Tlie  Lord  is  thy  keeper:  the  Lord  is  thy 
shade  upon  thy  right  hand.  The  sun  shall  not  smite 
thee  by  day,  nor  the  moon  by  night.  The  Lord  shall 
preserve  thee  from  all  evil :  He  shall  preserve  thy  soul. 
The  Lord  shall  preserve  thy  going  out  and  thy  com- 
ing in  from  this  time  forth,  and  even  for  evermore."^ 

1  Isa.  xlvi.  4.         2  Luke  xvi.  22.  s  Josh.  i.  2. 

*  John  xiv.  27.      '>  Ps.  cxxi.  5-8. 


CROSSING   THE   JORDAN. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

a  Prepare  yoii  victuals;  for  within  three  days  ye  shall  pass  over  this 
Jordan.'"— ]os\i.  i.  Ii. 

THE  children  of  Israel  were  encamped  in  what 
might  be  called  their  land  of  Beulah.  After 
forty  years  of  wandering  round  about,  they  had 
emerged  from  the  barren  wastes  of  their  desert  path, 
and  were  resting  awhile  in  peaceful  security  before 
starting  on  the  last  stage  of  their  long  journey. 

It  was  about  the  middle  of  the  month  of  April. 
Their  herds  of  cattle,  and  flocks  of  sheep,  were  qui- 
etly grazing  in  the  greenest  pastures  they  had  found 
since  leaving  Goshen.  In  full  bloom,  the  fruit-trees 
and  flowers  were  freighting  the  air  with  sweet-smell- 
ing fragrance,  and  the  fields  of  barley  were  already 
ripe  for  the  reaper's  sickle. 

A  magnificent  view  met  the  eye  in  every  direc- 
tion. Away  to  the  north  spread  out  the  great  plain 
of  Esdraelon,  shut  in  by  "  that  goodly  mountain  and 
Lebanon."  And  looking  toward  the  south  they  could 
see  all  "  the  hill  country  of  Judea,"  ^  which  was  even 
as  the  garden  of  the  Lord.  Directly  before  them  stood 
the  walled  city  of  Jericho,  embosomed  in  its  own  em- 
erald palms,  which  envied  not  the  trees  of  Eden  for 
their  beauty.  While  just  behind  them  towered  up 
'  Luke  i.  65. 


372  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

to  heaven,  in  all  their  solemn  grandeur,  the  sacred 
mountains  of  Nebo  and  Hor,  Avhich  were,  at  the  same 
time,  the  graves  and  the  gravestones  of  Closes  and 
Aaron,  and  the  most  fitting  monuments  for  those 
noble  brothers,  and  leal-hearted  servants  of  the  Lord. 

It  Avas  Avhen  the  redeemed  people  were  reposing  in 
this  delightful  region  of  country  that  they  received 
an  order  from  Joshua,  their  neAV  commander-in-chief, 
requiring  them  to  make  ready  for  the  passage  of  the 
river  which  still  rolled  between  them  and  the  home 
of  their  hearts:  "Prepare  you  victuals;  for  within 
three  days  ye  shall  pass  over  this  Jordan." 

Now,  there  can  be  no  question,  we  think,  that  the 
Hebrews  were  a  typical  people,  and  in  God's  deal- 
ings with  them,  and  us,  the  past  is  repeated  in  the 
present. 

The  land  of  Egypt,  where  their  lives  were  made 
"  bitter  with  hard  bondage,"  ^  is  a  good  representation 
of  our  natural  estate;  for  we  are  "sold  under  sin"^ 
into  slavery,  and  Satan  is  a  hard  master. 

Their  journey  through  the  wilderness,  with  its  bitter 
and  sweet  waters,  seems  like  one  long  parable  of  our 
Christian  pilgrimage,  which  is  made  up  of  nothing 
else  but  Marahs  and  Elims  from  its  commencement 
to  its  close. 

The  land  of  Canaan,  which  was  "the  glory  of  all 
lands,"  ^  and  God's  own  horn  of  plenty,  has  been  taken 
by  the  church  in  all  ages  as  the  most  common  emblem 
of  heaven  itself 

And  the  Jordan,  which  was  sometimes  so  narrow 
1  Exod.  i.  14.  2  Kom.  vii.  14.  a  Ezek.  xx.  6. 


CROSSING    THE  JORDAN,  373 

and  shallow  and  slow,  that  a  little  child  conld  easily 
ford  it;  and  then  again,  in  the  rainy  season,  so  wide 
and  deep  and  swift,  that  it  became  quite  impassable 
to  tlie  strongest  swimmer;  and  now  the  last  barrier 
betwixt  them  and  the  better  country,  has  been  gen- 
erally accepted  as  the  image  of  death;  that  cold,  dark 
river  which  rolls  between  us  and  the  green  fields  of 
Paradise. 

And  just  as  the  peculiar  people  had  need  of  special 
preparation  to  pass  over  the  Jordan ;  so  we  have  need 
to  make  ready  for  crossing  the  darker,  deeper,  and 
more  dangerous  river  of  death.  And  hoping  to  speak 
a  word  in  season,  our  further  remarks  to-day  shall 
cluster  around  these  two  timely  thoughts  suggested 
by  the  text:  how  and  why  we  should  prepare  for 
dying. 

And,  beginning  with  the  lowest  suggestion,  you 
will  observe  that  our  temporal  affairs  should  be  ar- 
ranged beforehand.  The  victuals  which  the  Israel- 
ites were  commanded  to  prepare  against  the  passage 
of  the  Jordan,  consisted  of  the  manna  which  came 
down  from  heaven,  and  also  those  other  supplies,  of 
whatsoever  kind,  Avhich  they  could  easily  procure  in 
the  land  of  plenty  Avhere  their  tents  were  pitched; 
for  they  were  now  occupying  the  fruitfid  fields  of 
Bashan,  and  the  still  more  fruitful  fields  of  Moab  and 
j\Iidian  Avere  on  the  borders  of  their  camp.  When 
opportunity  offered,  the  people  were  permitted  to  pur- 
chase the  products  of  the  country  through  wliich  they 
were  passing;  and  doubtless  often  did  so,  that  they 
might  have  a  change  of  fare.     And  resting  here  in 


374  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

the  plain  of  Jordan  and  in  the  lap  of  plenty,  it  is 
more  than  probable  that  they  gathered  in  the  corn 
and  Avine  and  oil  of  the  region  round  about. 

But  most  of  these  provisions  had  need  of  much 
preparation  before  they  were  good  for  food.  Even 
the  bread  of  heaven  did  not  come  down  into  their 
tents  all  ready  for  the  table.  It  fell  on  the  ground 
outside  in  the  night,  and  in  the  form  of  seed.  And 
in  the  morning,  "The  people  went  about  and  gathered 
it,  and  ground  it  in  mills,  or  beat  it  in  a  mortar,  and 
baked  it  in  pans,  and  made  cakes  of  it."^  And  the 
barley,  which  was  now  ripe,  had  to  be  prepared  in 
a  similar  manner. 

But  these  supplies,  which  were  necessary  for  the 
support  of  the  body,  were  all  temporal  things,  and  as 
such  they  suggest  the  first  lesson  of  the  text — this 
namely,  that  our  worldly  affairs  should  be  properly 
adjusted  against  the  time  to  die.  These  are  seldom 
as  they  ought  to  be  when  the  summons  comes,  and 
often  discompose  and  distress  the  departing  spirit. 

In  visiting  the  sick,  to  aid  them  in  their  prepara- 
tion for  dying,  we  expect  to  meet  the  members  of  the 
family  and  the  family  physician ;  but  we  have  some- 
times met  the  lawyer  in  the  darkened  room,  and 
helped  to  hold  the  patient's  trembling  hand  as  he 
signed  his  name  to  important  papers.  And  we  have 
no  hesitation  in  saying,  that  all  such  necessary  busi- 
ness should  be  attended  to  in  the  time  of  health.  It 
is  not  only  painful,  but  positively  Avicked,  to  worry 
the  dying  with  their  worldly  affairs.  But  yet  it  must 
1  Num.  xi.  8. 


CROSSING    THE   JORDAN,  375 

be  done  sometimes.  It  must  be  done  only  because 
the  duty  was  neglected  when  it  ought  to  have  been 
done. 

There  are,  doubtless,  many  here  to-day  whose  busi- 
ness is  not  in  just  such  a  condition  as  they  would  like 
to  have  it,  if  they  should  be  called  suddenly  away. 
No,  your  books  are  not  balanced,  your  debts  are  not 
paid,  your  wills  are  not  written.  Indeed,  some  people 
have  a  strange  prejudice  against  doing  such  things  as 
this  last.  They  are  so  superstitious  that  they  think, 
if  they  should  make  a  will,  "the  last  enemy"'  would 
come  immediately.  And  if  any  of  you  are  in  such  a 
case,  let  me  counsel  you  to  get  quit  of  your  ground- 
less forebodings  and  attend  to  these  duties  now, 
"while  the  evil  days  come  not."^ 

For  your  own  sake,  and  for  the  sake  of  those  whom 
you  most  love,  let  all  your  temporal  matters  be  set 
in  order  at  once.  And  if  you  have  any  bequests  to 
make,  to  the  church,  or  to  the  charitable  or  educa- 
tional institutions  of  the  country,  let  your  last  will 
and  testament  be  written  now,  when  there  can  be  no 
debate  or  doubt  about  the  soundness  of  your  mind 
and  memory,  nor  any  danger  that  the  largest  part  of 
your  estate  will  be  spent  in  endless  litigation. 

Again,  as  a  necessary  preparation  for  dying,  Ave 
should  have  a  personal  interest  in  Christ,  who  is  the 
antidote  of  death.  "Man  shall  not  live  by  bread 
alone."'  The  soul  needs  nourishment  as  well  as  the 
body ;  and  Christ  is  the  only  food  that  can  satisfy  the 
hunger  of  the  heart.  And  the  manna  was  typical  of 
1  I  Cor.  XV.  26.  2  Eccl.  xii.  1.  3  Mat.  iv.  4. 


376  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

Him,  as  He  Himself  hath  said:  "I  am  the  bread  of 
life.  Your  fatiiers  did  eat  manna  in  the  ^vilderness, 
and  are  dead.  This  is  the  bread  which  cometli  doAvn 
from  heaven,  that  a  man  may  eat  thereof,  and  not  die. 
I  am  the  Hving  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven: 
if  any  man  eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall  live  forever:  and 
the  bread  that  I  will  give  is  my  flesh,  which  I  will 
give  for  the  life  of  the  world."  ^ 

The  Israelites  remembered  with  pleasure  the  per- 
petual miracle  of  the  wilderness,  and  prided  them- 
selves on  the  fact,  that  their  fathers  "did  eat  angels' 
food."^  But  the  manna  was  not  living  bread.  It  did 
not,  and  could  not,  preserve  the  people  from  death  in 
any  sense;  but  the  Lord  Jesus  is  emphatically  "the 
bread  of  life."  "As  the  living  Father  hath  sent  me, 
and  I  live  by  the  Fatlier;  so  he  that  eateth  me,  even 
he  shall  live  by  me.  This  is  that  bread  whicli  camo 
down  from  heaven:  not  as  your  fathers  did  eat  manno, 
and  are  dead:  he  that  eateth  of  this  bread  shall  livo 
forever." ' 

He  shall  live  forever,  even  though  his  body  may 
turn  to  dust.  The  higher  spiritual  life  of  the  soul, 
which  is  nourished  by  the  flesh  and  blood  of  the  Son 
of  man,  shall  never  perish.  The  true  heavenly  bread, 
of  which  the  manna  was  the  emblem,  is  soul-quick- 
ening, soul-strengthening,  soul-sustaining,  and  soul- 
satisfying  food.  And  eating  of  it  is  not  to  be  under- 
stood either  literally  or  sacramentally,  but  spiritually ; 
for  the  Saviour  was  still  living,  and  His  last  supper 
had  not  been  instituted,  when  He  said,  "Except  ye 
»  John  vi.  48-51.        2  Ps.  Ixxviii.  25.        s  Jolin  vi.  57,  58. 


CROSSING   THE  JORDAN.  377 

eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink  His  blood, 
ye  have  no  life  in  yon."  ^ 

It  is  by  faith,  and  by  faith  alone,  that  we  are  made 
partakers  of  Christ  and  His  salvation.  By  the  exer- 
cise of  this  saving  grace,  Ave  receive  and  rest  npon 
"Jesus  only,"^  as  He  is  freely  offered  to  ns  in  the 
gospel.  And  the  immediate  result  of  such  a  cordial 
reception  of  our  only  Redeemer  is  exemption  from 
spiritual  and  eternal  death.  And  though  the  body 
must  needs  return  to  the  eartli,  as  it  Avas,  it  sliall  be 
raised  up  again  at  the  last  day:  "Jesus  said  unto 
her,  I  am  the  resurrection,  and  the  life;  he  that  be- 
lieveth  in  me,  though  he  Avere  dead,  yet  shall  he  li\^e: 
and  AvhosocA^er  liveth  and  believeth  in  me  shall  never 
die."' 

A  personal  interest  in  Christ  is,  therefore,  the  most 
important  thing  in  preparing  to  die,  if  Ave  Avould  pass 
aAvay  peacefully  and  hopefully.  Indeed  Ave  are  not 
prepared  to  live  as  Ave  should,  till  Ave  are  born  again 
from  aboA^e,  and  have  for  our  daily  bread  "  the  bread 
of  life."  But,  though  Ave  may  be  able  to  live  Avithout 
Christ,  as  many  do,  Ave  can  not  die  Avitli  tlie  good 
hope  of  going  to  lieaA^en,  Avithout  a  personal  interest 
in  "our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  Avho  hath  abolished 
death,  and  hath  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light 
through  the  gospel."  "* 

We  may  be  every  thing  else  that  is  loA^ely  and  of 
good  report;  Ave  may  be  the  best  of  husbands  and 
Avives,   and   fathers  and  mothers,   and   brothers  and 

1  John  vi.  53.  2  Mat.  xvii.  8. 

3  John  xi.  25,  26.  ■*  II  Tim.  i.  10. 


3/8  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

sisters;  we  may  be  the  most  upright  citizens,  and 
greatly  distinguished  for  the  amenity  of  our  manners 
and  our  angehc  amiability ; — but  if  we  are  not  "  ac- 
cepted in  the  beloved,"^  if  our  sins  are  not  blotted 
out  "with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ,"^  and  we  are 
not  sanctified  by  the  blessed  Spirit,  we  are  not,  and 
we  can  not  be,  prepared  to  die.  "  Marvel  not  that  I 
said  unto  thee.  Ye  must  be  born  again."' 

We  remark,  further,  that  in  order  to  be  prepared 
against  the  time  of  our  departure,  Ave  should  have  a 
goodly  number  of  the  promises  stored  away  in  our 
hearts  and  minds.  The  whole  Bible  is  the  bread  of 
life,  like  Him  who  is  at  once  its  author  and  its  sub- 
ject. Jesus  is  the  burden  of  every  book,  the  chief 
end  of  every  chapter,  and  the  substance  of  all  the 
shadows.  "The  bright  and  morning  star"*  is  the 
central  sun  round  which  revelation  revolves.  But 
whilst  the  Scriptures  are  the  glass  in  which  we  see 
the  glory  of  the  Lord,  and  were  Avritten  to  reflect 
His  image  more  perfectly,  they  also  delight  us  by 
the  visions,  and  offers  of  spiritual  food,  so  varied  and 
abundant  as  to  meet  our  every  need. 

Here  we  have  the  sincere  milk  for  babes  in  Christ, 
apples  of  comfort  for  the  sick,  savory  meat  for  those 
who  are  ready  to  perish,  and  the  best  of  "wine  which 
cheereth  God  and  man."^  For  the  endless  changes 
of  Christian  experience  there  is  in  the  gospel  a  word 
in  season;  and  there  are  times  when  nothing  tastes 
so  good  as  the  book  of  God:  "Thy  words  were  found, 

I  Eph.  i.  6.  2  1  Pet.  i.  19.  3  John  iii.  7. 

4  Kev.  xxii.  16.  »  Judges  ix.  13. 


CROSSING   THE  JORDAN.  379 

and  I  did  eat  them ;  and  thy  word  was  unto  me  the 
joy  and  rejoicing  of  mine  heart."  ^  And  if  we  may 
prize  one  portion  of  inspiration  above  another,  we 
Avould 'select  the  "exceeding  great  and  precious  prom- 
ises," because  they  are  the  "finest  of  the  Avheat";^ 
"More  to  be  desired  are  they  than  gold,  yea,  than 
much  fine  gold:  sweeter  also  than  honey  and  the 
honeycomb."^  "How  precious  also  are  thy  thoughts 
unto  me,  0  God  !  how  great  is  the  sum  of  them  !  "* 

They  are  greater  and  more  precious  than  we  are 
aware  till  the  set  time  comes  for  them  to  manifest 
their  unspeakable  power  and  inestimable  value.  They 
were  the  stone  steps  by  which  Christian  might  have 
passed  safely  through  the  Slough  of  Despond,  if  he 
had  taken  heed  thereunto.  One  of  them  was  the  key 
which  he  carried  in  his  bosom,  with  which  he  un- 
locked the  doors  in  Doubting  Castle,  and  so  made  his 
escape  from  the  keep  of  Giant  Despair.  They  are 
the  hired  servants  of  my  Father,  sent  down  from 
heaven  to  work  on  the  narrow  way.  I  have  often 
seen  them;  I  can  see  them  now,  like  laboring  men 
bending  to  their  task  and  breaking  the  big  stones, 
making  the  rough  places  smooth,  the  crooked  places 
straight,  and  with  the  light  of  their  lamps  illuminat- 
ing all  the  dark  valleys. 

And,  in  regard  of  having  these  precious  promises 
stored  away  in  our  hearts  and  minds,  we  might  learn 
a  lesson  from  the  Jews,  who  took  special  pains  to 
keep  the  words  of  the  law  continually  before  them: 

»  Jer.  XV.  16.  2  Ps.  cxlvii.  14. 

3  Ps.  xix.  10.  *  Ps.  cxxxix.  17. 


380  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

"  Thou  shalt  bind  them  for  a  sign  upon  thine  hand, 
and  they  shall  be  as  frontlets  between  thine  eyes: 
and  thou  shalt  write  them  upon  the  posts  of  thy 
house,  and  on  thy  gates."  ^  In  literal  obedience  to 
this  commandment,  the  Hebrews  actually  inscribed 
particular  passages  of  Scripture  upon  parchment,  and 
"wore  them  on  their  arms  and  foreheads.  They  also 
fastened  other  passages  on  their  door-posts,  and  never 
went  in  or  out  of  their  dwellings  without  stopping  to 
kiss  the  sacred  scroll. 

And  to  us  there  is  something  beautifully  touching 
and  instructive  in  their  keeping  the  words  of  God  so 
constantly  before  their  minds.  Nor  can  we  wonder 
that  these  soon  came  to  be  regarded  as  protecting 
them  from  evil,  and  for  this  reason  Avere  afterwards 
called  phylacteries.  Perhaps  in  their  personal  experi- 
ence they  had  learned  something  of  the  power  of 
God's  word  in  preserving  them  from  harm,  and  shield- 
ing them  in  the  time  of  danger.  But  whether  they 
had  or  not,  we  know  of  a  truth  that  it  is  our  best 
body-guard:  "When  thou  goest,  it  shall  lead  thee; 
when  thou  sleepest,  it  shall  keep  thee;  and  when 
thou  aAvakest,  it  shall  talk  Avith  thee."  ^  One  of  the 
very  Scriptures  which  the  Jews  kept  so  continually 
before  them  was  the  sword  of  the  Spirit  with  Avhich 
Jesus  Himself  worsted  the  tempter,  "Get  thee  behind 
me,  Satan:  for  it  is  written,  Thou  shalt  worship  the 
Lord  thy  God,  and  Him  only  shalt  thou  serve." ' 

Besides,  many  of  the  promises  were  written,  as  it 
would  seem,  expressly  for  the  time  to  die:  "When 
»  Deut.  vi.  8,  9.  »  Prov.  vi.  22.  3  Luko  iv.  8. 


CROSSING    THE   JORDAN:  38 1 

tlion  passest  tlirongli  the  waters,  I  Avill  be  Avitli  tliee ; 
and  through  the  rivers  they  shall  not  overflow  thee : 
when  thou  walkest  through  the  fire,  thou  slialt  not 
be  burned;  neither  shall  the  fianie  kindle  upon  thee."^ 
"Fear  thou  not;  for  I  am  with  thee:  be  not  dismayed; 
for  I  am  thy  God:  I  will  strengthen  thee;  ^-ea,  1  will 
help  thee:  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee  with  the  right  hand 
of  my  righteousness."^  "In  the  way  of  righteousness 
is  life;  and  in  tlie  pathway  thereof  there  is  no  death." ^ 

In  makiug  preparation  for  the  time  of  our  depart- 
ure, these  promises,  so  sweet  and  precious,  and  otJiers 
like  them,  should  be  committed  to  memory,  that  we 
may  have  them  ready  against  the  great  emergenc}^ 
Duriug  the  last  days  of  our  sojourn  here,  the  eye  may 
be  so  dim  that  it  will  not  be  able  to  read  them  in  the 
shadow  of  death;  and  the  swellings  of  Jordan  may 
make  the  ear  so  dull,  that  it  will  not  be  able  to  hear 
them  read ;  and  if  we  do  not  have  them  graven  in  the 
mind  for  the  greatest  time  of  need,  no  tongue  can  tell 
how  much  we  will  miss  their  comforting  and  sustain- 
ing power. 

We  would  observe  farther,  that,  to  be  prepared  for 
death,  it  should  be  made  tlie  subject  of  much  medita- 
tion. And  here,  for  our  instruction  and  imitation,  let 
us  call  to  mind  the  interesting  fact,  that  when  the 
children  of  Israel  came  to  the  valley  of  the  Jordan, 
they  encamped  there  for  iiearly  a  whole  year.  God 
kept  His  people  waiting  there,  by  the  brink  of  the 
river,  several  months  before  crossing  to  the  other 
side;  and,  as  it  appears  to  us,  of  a  set  purpose  that 
»  Isa.  xliii.  2.  2  Isa.  xli.  10,  11.  3  Trov.  xii.  28. 


382  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

tlieir  tlioiiglits  might  often  be  on  the  passage  of  that 
turbulent  stream,  and  about  the  good  land  beyond 
to  which  they  were  going. 

With  every  rising  sun  they  could  see  the  gleaming 
waters  of  the  river  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left ; 
and  day  and  night,  without  ceasing,  they  could  hear 
the  noise  of  its  waves  as  they  went  rushing  by.  And 
as  it  was  just  after  the  rainy  season,  when  they  re- 
ceived the  command  to  make  ready  to  pass  over  into 
the  land  of  promise,  and  the  banks  of  the  stream 
were  submerged,  they  must  have  mused  in  their  own 
minds,  and  perhaps  also  they  spoke  often  to  one 
another,  saying:  How  shall  we  be  able  to  ford  the 
Jordan  now?  Such  a  thing  seems  quite  impossible 
at  present;  and,  having  neither  bridge  nor  pontoon, 
it  would  be  downrigiit  madness  to  make  tiie  vain 
attempt  to  cross  over.  Indeed  the  strongest  swim- 
mer could  scarcely  hope  to  make  the  other  side  in 
safety:  "for  Jordan  overfloweth  all  his  banks  all  the 
time  of  harvest."^ 

And  as  the  peculiar  people  were  halted  on  the 
hither  side  of  Jordan  for  a  long  time,  so  are  some 
of  us,  and  that  too,  as  we  believe,  in  order  that  we 
may  have  time  for  reflection,  and  a  fitting  opportu- 
nity to  make  the  crossing  the  theme  of  much  medita- 
tion. We  have  known  many  of  the  Israelites  indeed 
whose  tents  were  pitched  on  the  brink  of  the  dark 
river  for  several  years;  and,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
these  were  the  pleasantest  years  of  tlieir  lives.  And 
though,  at  the  first,  the  sight  and  the  sound  of  the 
1  Josli.  iii.  15. 


CROSSING   THE   JORDAN.  383 

swelling  stream  made  them  fear  and  tremble;  yet, 
after  aAvhile,  they  would  talk  about  their  dying  as 
calmly  as  they  would  converse  about  the  commonest 
duties  of  the  day.  They  became  so  familiar  with  the 
face  of  the  "last  enemy"  that  he  seemed  more  like 
a  dear  friend.  They  entertained  no  fears  that  their 
faith  would  fail ;  they  experienced  no  doubts  concern- 
ing the  promise,  "as  thy  days,  so  shall  thy  strength 
be."  ^  "  Perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God,"  ^  they 
conquered  death  by  taking  away  his  sting;  and  before 
they  went  over  into  the  "  better  country,"  the  house 
of  their  pilgrimage  seemed  to  be  pitched  on  the  other 
side  of  the  swelling  flood ;  and  as  the  Lamb  was  the 
light  and  joy  and  glory  of  their  "little  sanctuary,"^  it 
was  nothing  less  than  a  very  heaven  upon  the  earth; 
where  they  heard  the  first  notes  of  the  new  song,  and 
saw  the  beginning  of  the  beatific  vision. 

And  in  regard  of  ourselves,  as  we  can  not  tell  how 
long  w^e  may  be  permitted  to  tarry  in  the  plain  of 
Jordan,  we  ought  to  begin  at  once  to  think  about  the 
time  of  our  departure.  Nor  need  any  fear  that  fre- 
quent meditation  about  dying  will  make  them  melan- 
choly, and  unfit  them  for  the  active  duties  of  life.  On 
the  contrary,  it  will  make  them  happier  far,  and  far 
more  useful.  We  have  read  somewhere  of  a  wicked 
young  man  who  received  from  a  friend  tl>e  present 
of  a  curiously  wrought  ring,  with  a  death's  head  in  its 
seal,  upon  condition  that  he  would  wear  it,  and  look 
at  it  every  day.  He  accepted  the  gift  carelessly,  but 
performed  the  condition  faithfully ;  and  as  he  looked 
1  Deut.  xxxiii.  25.         2  11  Cor.  vii.  1.         3  Ezek.  xi.  16. 


384  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

at  that  ring  every  morning,  the  sight  of  his  eyes  so 
affected  his  heart  that  he  soon  became  an  earnest  and 
devoted  Christian.  The  frequent  thought  of  death, 
and  its  shadow  abiding  always  on  his  hand,  was 
blessed  to  the  salvation  of  his  soul. 

It  is  the  custom  of  the  Chinese  to  keep  their  coffins 
in  their  houses  where  they  can  be  often  seen.  The 
ancient  Egyptians,  at  all  their  feasts,  served  their 
guests  with  some  part  of  a  skeleton  to  put  them  in 
mind  of  their  mortality.  And,  on  the  day  of  his  coro- 
nation, one  of  the  emperors  of  Constantinople,  among 
other  gifts  of  great  value,  received  the  present  of  a 
gravestone,  to  remind  him  of  the  coming  day  when 
the  crown  would  be  taken  from  his  head. 

And,  in  the  midst  of  life  and  health,  it  would  be 
good  for  us  if  we  Avould  often  think  of  that  decisive 
hour  that  Avill  finish  our  discipline  and  fix  our  des- 
tiny; striving,  as  much  as  we  may  be  able,  to  realize 
our  last  passage,  and  surrounding  ourselves  Avith  the 
scenes  of  our  last  moments.  Josepli  of  Arimathea 
built  his  sepulchre  in  his  garden,  in  the  midst  of  his 
most  familiar  delights;  and  perhaps  the  frequent  sight 
of  "  his  long  home "  ^  helped  to  make  him  the  good 
and  just  man  and  devoted  Christian  that  he  was. 
And  it  would  be  well  for  us,  if  every  time  we  went 
out  to  gather  sweet  flowers  we  could  see  our  grave ; 
for  we  are  thorouglily  convinced  that  much  medita- 
tion about  death  will  help  to  soften  it  doAvn,  and  take 
away  its  sting. 

Or,  better  still,  we  miglit  set  apart  some  day,  it 
»  Eccl.  xii.  5. 


CROSSING   THE  JORDAN.  385 

might  be  our  birthday,  or  the  day  of  our  spiritual  birth, 
and  spend  it  as  if  it  were  our  last  day.  This  would 
make  death  a  beautiful,  a  comforting,  and  a  welcome 
theme.  And  so,  living  with  the  time  of  our  depart- 
ure always  in  view,  we  would  "  die  daily " ;  ^  and, 
when  the  last  change  came,  we  would  have  nothing 
else  to  do  but  to  lean  our  weary  head  on  the  bosom 
of  our  Beloved,  and  breathe  our  life  out  sweetly  there. 

Our  subject  is  of  unspeakable  importance  to  all; 
and  we  trust  that,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  we  may 
be  able  to  drive  a  nail  on  which  some  of  you  may  be 
persuaded  to  hang  a  hope  of  heaven.  We  will  not 
say  that  you  must  die,  for  you  are  dying  now;  and 
are  you  ready  for  the  great  change  ?  There  are  not 
many  Avho  finish  their  life  work  before  their  life  is 
ended,  and  instead  of  leaving  the  world,  and  going 
to  the  grave,  they  are  driven  out  of  the  one  into  the 
other:  "the  Avicked  is  driven  away  in  his  Avickedness."^ 

Beloved  out  of  Christ,  how  would  it  be  with  you, 
if  you  Avere  summoned  to  the  judgment  seat  to-day  ? 
Are  you  ready  for  the  reckoning?  If  you  are  not, 
Ave  counsel  you  to  give  neither  sleep  to  your  eyes  nor 
slumber  to  your  eyelids,  till  you  haA^e  made  your 
peace  Avith  God.  "  Will  my  case  be  called  to-day  ?  " 
said  a  client,  to  his  advocate,  Avith  the  greatest  ear- 
nestness, having  heard  that  the  lord  chancellor's  de- 
cision Avas  expected.  "Are  you  sure,"  AA^as  his  anxious 
inquiry,  "that  nothing  is  left  undone?  If  judgment  is 
pronounced  against  me,  I  am  a  ruined  man."  Dearly 
beloved  and  longed-for,  if  your  case  should  be  called 
J  I  Cor.  XV.  31.  2  Prov.  xiv.  32. 


3'86  "    BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

to-day,  before  the  Judge  of  all,  are  you  ready  ?  Are 
you  sure  that  nothing  is  left  undone  ? 

Having  dwelt  long  enough  on  the  necessary  prep- 
arations for  the  passage  of  the  dark  river,  we  are 
coming  now  to  consider  the  reasons  why  they  should 
be  made  at  once. 

And,  beginning  with  the  most  obvious  of  these,  you 
will  remark,  that  we  ought  to  set  the  house  in  order, 
because  death  is  sure  to  come:  "Ye  shall  pass  over 
this  Jordan."  In  regard  of  the  children  of  Israel, 
there  seems  to  have  been  no  absolute  necessity  for 
crossing  the  river  at  all,  in  order  to  enter  the  prom- 
ised land;  for  as  the  whole  eastern  bank  of  the  stream 
was  in  their  })ossession,  they  might  have  marched 
nortliAvard  toward  its  source,  where  the  river  is  a 
mere  brook,  and  offers  no  obstacle  to  crossing,  even 
in  the  time  of  harvest;  or,  turning  to  the  left  hand, 
they  might  have  rounded  the  Dead  Sea  into  which 
it  empties,  and  entered  Canaan  from  the  south.  But 
God  Avas  guiding  His  chosen  people,  in  His  own 
chosen  way;  and  it  Avas  His  plan  that  they  should 
cross  the  Jordan,  at  tlie  time  Avhen,  and  in  the  place 
Avhere,  it  seemed  to  be  impassable:  "He  led  them 
forth  by  the  right  way."  ^ 

Whether  it  is  possible  for  us  to  reach  heaven  Avith- 
out  tasting  death,  is  not  to  be  considered  here.  It  is 
enough  for  us  to  know  that,  according  to  God's  good 
pleasure,  "It  is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die;"^ 
and  this  universal  appointment  Ave  can  not  escape. 
If  by  any  means  Ave  could  enter  the  land  of  pure 
1  Ps.  cvii.  7.  2  Heb.  ix.  27. 


CROSSING    THE   JORDAN.  38/ 

delight  without  fording  the  dark  river,  we  might 
neglect,  with  impunity,  the  necessary  preparations 
for  its  passage;  but  we  can  not  expect  to  avoid  it 
in  any  way;  and  all  men  eveiy where  must  struggle 
in  the  SAvelling  stream.  The  path  of  poverty,  the 
path  of  usefulness,  and  the  path  of  honor  all  alike 
terminate  in  the  plain  of  Jordan.  In  the  God-planted 
garden  of  Eden,  the  sentence  of  death  was  pronounced 
on  the  whole  human  race.  So,  then,  death  is  not  the 
debt  of  nature,  as  it  is  commonly  called;  it  is  rather  the 
debt  of  sin,  and  every  man  must  pay  it :  "  By  one  man 
sin  entered  into  the  w^orld,  and  death  by  sin ;  and  so 
death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned."^ 
From  the  beginning  of  the  world,  only  two  of  the 
many  millions  of  mankind  have  passed  from  earth  to 
heaven  without  suffering  the  execution  of  the  uni- 
versal sentence  upon  themselves.  "By  faith  Enoch 
was  translated  that  he  should  not  see  death ;  and  was 
not  found,  because  God  had  translated  him :  for  before 
his  translation  he  had  this  testimony,  that  he  pleased 
God."^  And  Avhen  Elijah,  the  greatest  of  the  proph- 
ets, was  taking  his  last  walk  with  Elisha,  they  came 
down  to  the  Jordan:  "And  Elijah  took  his  mantle 
and  wrapped  it  together,  and  smote  the  waters,  and 
they  were  divided  hither  and  thither,  so  that  they  tAvo 
.went  over  on  dry  ground.  And  it  came  to  pass,  as 
they  still  went  on,  and  talked,  that,  behold,  there 
appeared  a  chariot  of  fire,  and  horses  of  fire,  and 
parted  them  both  asunder;  and  Elijah  went  up  by 
a  whirlwind  into  heaven."' 

I  Rom.  V.  12.         2  Heb.  xi.  5.         an  Kings  ii.  8-11. 


388  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

These  two  great  saints,  Enoch  and  Elijah,  are  the 
only  twain,  in  tlie  whole  history  of  the  world,  Avho 
never  tasted  death.  All  the  rest  of  the  race  have 
died,  and  all  the  rest  of  the  race  must  surely  die,  save 
those  saints  who  may  be  living  at  the  time  of  the 
second  advent.  "  For  the  Lord  Himself  shall  descend 
from  heaven  Avith  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  arch- 
angel, and  with  the  trump  of  God:  and  the  dead  in 
Christ  shall  rise  first:  then  we  Avhich  are  alive  and 
remain  shall  be  caught  up  together  with  them  in  the 
clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air."^  And,  unless 
our  lives  shall  be  prolonged  till  we  shall  see  the  sign 
of  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  the  clouds,  Ave  should 
expect  to  die :  "  For  Ave  must  needs  die,  and  are  as 
water  spilt  on  the  ground,  Avhich  can  not  be  gathered 
up  again :  neither  doth  God  respect  any  person ;  yet 
doth  He  devise  means,  that  His  banished  be  not  ex- 
pelled from  Him."^ 

From  the  universal  sentence  of  death,  there  is  no 
exception,  no  exemption,  no  escape.  "There  is  no 
discharge  in  that  Avar";^  none  for  greatness,  none  for 
goodness,  none  for  glory.  Other  foes  may  be  bnbed 
Avith  riches,  soothed  Avith  flattery,  or  melted  Avitli 
tears  :  but  the  last  enemy  is  impartial,  implacable, 
and  inexorable;  neither  the  charms  of  beauty,  nor 
the  poAver  of  Avealth,  nor  the  appeal  of  Avoe,  can  avail 
any  thing  Avith  him : 

**  With  equal  pace  impartial  fate 
Knocks  at  the  palace  and  the  cottage  gate." 

»  I  Thess.  iv.  16,  17.       2  n  Sam.  xiv.  14.       a  EccL  viii.  8. 


CROSSING   THE   JORDAN.  389 

The  monarcli  must  be  taken  from  liis  throne  ;  the 
merchant  from  tlie  exchange;  and  the  man  of  letters 
from  his  books.  The  rich  man  in  gay  clothiyg,  the 
poor  man  in  vile  raiment,  and  the  foolish  man  in  his 
folly, — who  can  not  tell  his  right  hand  from  his  left, 
— all  alike  must  tread  the  verge  of  Jordan.  "  Do  not 
all  go  to  one  place  ?  "  ^ 

It  should  be  observed,  further,  that  we  ought  to 
make  suitable  preparation  for  the  last  stage  of  our 
weary  earth-way,  because  the  time  of  death  is  so  un- 
certain. AVhen  the  ancient  people  of  God  were  all 
encamped  on  the  bank  of  the  Jordan,  and  received 
the  command  to  prepare  for  the  passage,  the  time  for 
crossing  was  not  precisely  stated:  "within  three  days 
ye  shall  pass  over."  They  did  not  know  exactly  when 
the  silver  trumpet  would  sound,  calling  them  to  strike 
their  tents  and  fall  in  line  for  their  last  march.  It 
might  be  blown  the  third  day,  or  the  second  day,  or 
the  self- same  day  the  order  was  issued.  Doubtless 
Joshua  himself  did  not  know,  as  yet,  the  set  time  for 
fording  the  river. 

Neither  can  we  tell  the  exact  time  of  our  depart- 
ure; for  though  there  is  nothing  so  certain  as  death, 
there  is  also  nothing  so  uncertain  as  the  time  to  die. 
In  the  ordinary  course  of  nature,  we  expect  to  see 
old  and  gray-headed  people  passing  away;  but  we 
oftener  see  the  young  vanishing  from  our  view.  The 
time  once  was  when  parents  and  grandparents  gen- 
erally preceded  their  children,  and  their  children's 
children  to  the  tomb;  but  now,  for  the  most  part, 
>  Eccl.  vi.  6. 


390  "  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES.'  " 

the  children  are  taken  first.  Yes,  the  tender  blade 
is  oftener  cut  doAvn,  than  the  shock  of  corn  fully  ripe; 
and  not  unfrequently  we  see  strong  men,  like  Samson, 
perishing  in  the  prime  of  life.  There  is  no  security 
against  death ;  there  can  be  none.  "  The  voice  said, 
Cry.  And  he  said,  What  shall  I  cry?  All  flesh  is 
grass,  and  all  the  goodliness  thereof  is  as  the  flower 
of  the  field:  the  grass  withereth,  the  flower  fadeth; 
because  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  bloweth  upon  it:  surely 
the  people  is  grass.  "^ 

There  is  hardly  one  person  in  a  hundred  who  reaches 
the  Scripture  limit  of  "threescore  years  and  ten;"^ 
whilst  more  than  half  the  human  race  "die  in  the 
flower  of  their  age,""  long  before  they  have  numbered 
half  a  score  of  years.  "One  dieth  in  his  full  strength, 
being  wholly  at  ease  and  quiet.  His  breasts  are  full 
of  milk,  and  his  bones  are  moistened  with  marrow. 
And  another  dieth  in  the  bitterness  of  his  soul,  and 
never  eateth  with  any  pleasure.  They  shall  lie  down 
alike  in  the  dust,  and  the  worms  shall  cover  them."* 
Without  respect  of  persons,  the  remorseless  reaper  is 
always  busy  gathering  into  the  grave  his  plentiful 
harvest  of  human  flesh;  and  the  spring  and  the  sum- 
mer are  both  alike  to  him.  "To  every  thing  there 
is  a  season ; "  ^ — to  every  thing  but  death. 

"Leaves  have  their  time  to  fall, 

And  flowers  to  wither  at  the  north  wind's  breath, 
And  stars  to  set — but  all 
Thou  hast,  all  seasons  for  thine  own,  0  Death." 

1  Isa.  xl.  6,  7.  2  Ps.  xc.  10.  3  i  Sam.  ii.  33. 

*  Job  xxi.  23-25.        6  Ecol.  iii.  1. 


CROSSING   THE  JORDAN.  39I 

There  are  here  present,  probably,  those  who  have 
left  at  home  dear  friends  who  are  wasting  away  on 
beds  of  languishing.  For  many  months,  perhaps,  they 
have  not  been  well  enough  to  come  with  you  to  this 
house  of  prayer,  and  they  seem  to  have  but  a  short 
time  to  live.  A  few  more  days,  at  most,  and  "the 
golden  boAvl"  will  be  broken,  or  "the  pitcher"  at  the 
fountain,  or  "the  wheel" ^  at  the  cistern;  but  yet,  you 
may  be  taken  first.  Health  and  strength  are  no  secu- 
rity against  death,  and  this  Sabbath  may  be  your 
last  Sabbath.  It  may  be  my  last  Sabbath.  We  may 
never  again  unite  our  hearts  and  voices  in  the  prayers 
and  songs  of  Zion.  This  present  service  may  be  the 
very  last  which  Ave  shall  ever  enjoy  on  the  earth ;  and 
we  may  be  preaching  and  hearing  our  last  sermon. 
Nay,  more,  this  Sabbath  day  may  be  our  last  day. 
Our  pilgrimage  may  be  ended  before  the  morrow  is 
begun,  and  we  may  go  from  this  house  of  God  to  "the 
house  appointed  for  all  living."^ 

•'Art  is  long,  and  time  is  fleeting, 

And  our  hearts,  though  stout  and  brave, 
Still  like  muffled  drums  are  beating 
Funeral  marches  to  the  grave." 

It  may  be  suggested,  in  the  next  place,  that  we 
should  make  all  needful  preparations  for  death,  be- 
cause the  last  moment  may  come  soon.  Though  the 
time  for  the  Israelites  to  cross  the  river  was  uncer- 
tain, still  it  was  not  far  distant.  It  was  "  within  three 
days."  It  might  be  the  same  day  when  the  command 
was  given  to  prepare  their  provisions  for  the  passage, 
J  Eccl.  xii.  6.  2  Job  xxx.  23. 


392  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

or  it  miglit  be  the  next  day;  but  it  could  not  be  far- 
ther off  than  the  day  following;  for  then  surely  their 
tents  must  be  struck,  and  the  last  stage  of  their  jour- 
ney commenced. 

And  from  the  moment  that  they  listened  to  the 
order  of  their  leader,  we  can  not  help  thinking,  the 
mighty  multitude  must  have  been  most  busy  in  mak- 
ing their  preparations,  because  now  the  time  for  cross- 
ing was  so  near,  and  nearer  perhaps  than  they  sup- 
posed. Straightway,  all  was  anxiety  and  activity 
within  their  lines.  Foraging  expeditions  were  going 
out  in  every  direction,  and  coming  again  bringing 
their  sheaves  with  them.  Threshing-floors  were  ex- 
temporized on  every  little  hill,  and  the  unmuzzled 
oxen  were  treading  out  the  corn.  The  old  men  and 
children  were  gathering  up  the  manna  in  great  haste ; 
and  day  and  night,  without  ceasing,  the  sound  of 
their  mills  and  mortars  Avas  heard,  as  the  young  men 
and  maidens  w^ere  grinding  it  for  food.  All  were 
busj^,  and  the  little  while,  at  longest,  which  they  had 
to  prepare,  made  them  all  the  more  anxious  to  im- 
prove every  passing  hour;  and,  doubtless,  before  the 
three  days  were  ended  all  things  were  ready. 

And  it  would  be  Avell  for  us  if  we  Avould  copy  their 
example:  "Be  ye  also  ready;  for  in  such  an  hour  as 
ye  think  not  the  Son  of  man  cometh."^  Did  any  body 
say,  "I  will  prepare  to-morrow"?  "Boast  not  thy- 
self of  to-morrow;  for  thou  knowest  not  what  a  day 
may  bring  fortli."^  You  remember  the  rich  man  in 
the  gospel,  whose  ground  brought  forth  so  pentifully 
'  Mat.  xxiv.  44;.  2  Prov.  xxvii.  1. 


CROSSING    THE   JORDAN:  393 

that  lie  proposed  to  pnll  down  liis  barns  and  build 
greater,  and  say  to  himself,  "  Soul,  thou  hast  much 
goods  laid  up  for  many  years;  take  thine  ease,  eat, 
drink,  and  be  merry.  But  God  said  unto  him.  Thou 
fool,  this  night  thy  soul  shall  be  required  of  thee."* 
Nay,  death  may  not  be  so  far  distant  as  the  setting 
sun.  The  small  number  of  our  j^ears,  and  our  perfect 
health,  may  give  us  the  promise  of  a  long  life;  but 
yet  it  may  prove  the  shortest.  Even  in  our  best 
estate,  we  are  altogether  vanity.  A  morning  mist, 
the  flower  of  grass,  and  the  swift  ships, — these  are 
the  Scripture  images  of  our  life.  And  a  step,  a  span, 
a  moment, — these  are  its  Scripture  measures:  "Truly 
as  the  Lord  liveth,  and  as  thy  soul  liveth,  there  is  but 
a  step  between  me  and  death; "^  and  the  next  set- 
ting down  of  the  foot  may  be  in  the  chilling  stream. 
"With  what  haste  then,  and  zeal,  and  earnestness, 
and  unwearying  activity,  should  we  give  ourselves 
to  the  needful  work  of  getting  ready  for  the  great 
emergency;  doubling  our  dihgence,  redeeming  the 
time,  and  doing  with  our  might  what  our  hands 
find  to  do,  "  and  so  much  the  more,  as  ye  see  the  day 
approaching."' 

It  is  necessary  to  observe,  finally,  that  we  should 
make  immediate  preparation  for  fording  the  dark 
waters,  because  dying  will  be  work  enough,  without 
having  any  thing  else  to  do.  When  viewed  in  most 
of  its  various  aspects,  deatli  is  a  very  dreadful  thing, 
and  the  awfulest  moment  of  our  life  is  when  we  be- 
gin to  feel  that  our  days  are  few.  The  mere  thought 
'  Luke  xii.  19,  20.        2  I  Sam.  xx.  3,        a  Heb.  x.  25. 


394  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

of  dying  has  often*  unmanned  the  stoutest  hearts; 
and  even  the  best  of  God's  behoving  people  have 
not  been  able  to  meet  the  issue  with  perfect  com- 
posure. The  painful  putting  asunder  of  the  soul  and 
the  body  and  the  consigning  of  this  last  to  its  orig- 
inal elements — dust  to  dust,  ashes  to  ashes,  earth  to 
earth — is  so  unnatural  and  evil  and  bitter  that  we 
shrink  back  from  it  in  dismay.  And  we  can  not 
help  doing  so,  for  we  were  not  made  for  such  an 
ignominious  end. 

And  then,  sorer  still,  the  parting  from  dear  friends 
and  kindred,  who  are  bound  to  us  with  ties  that  are 
softer  than  silk  and  stronger  than  iron,  this  is  some- 
thing that  goes  hard  against  the  grain  of  the  holiest 
heart,  and  fills  the  mind  with  unutterable  anguish. 
Besides,  the  time  to  die  is  often  the  time  of  sick- 
ness, which  is  distressing,  and  sometimes  distract- 
ing too.  And  Avhen  wearisome  nights  are  appointed 
to  us,  and  Ave  are  full  of  tossings  to  and  fro,  and  pain 
is  piercing  in  every  part,  like  a  thorn  in  tlie  flesh — 
is  that  the  time  to  prepare  to  die  ?  When  the  body  is 
weakened  with  disease,  and  the  mind  is  wandering — 
is  that  the  time  to  make  our  calling  and  election  sure  ? 

In  ministering  to  those  who  were  sick  unto  death, 
we  have  often  heard  them  express  the  opinion  that 
the  dying  bed  is  no  place  to  prepare  for  death.  And 
we  have  bad  abundant  evidence  of  the  truth  of  this 
faithful  saying  in  the  experience  of  some  who  had 
neglected  the  claims  of  religion  till  the  time  of  their 
departure  was  at  hand.  Even  in  the  time  of  health 
and  strength,  it  is  no  easy  thing  to  repent  of  sin,  and 


CROSSING    THE   JORDAN.  395 

crucify  the  old  man,  and  resist  the  devil,  and  become 
an  earnest  Christian;  and  when  we  have  neither  of 
these,  and  the  mind  and  body  are  both  enfeebled  by 
disease,  it  is  next  to  impossible. 

"If  only  you  could  go  with  your  minister  in  his 
visits  to  the  sick,  and  be  introduced  to  one  poor 
sufferer  after  another,  you  would  be  thoroughly  con- 
vinced of  the  truth  of  what  we  say ;  for  whether  the 
patient  manifested  the  wildness  of  fever,  or  the  ex- 
haustion of  consumption,  or  the  anguish  of  some 
deep-seated  pain,  the  same  lesson  would  be  merci- 
fully delivered:  the  lesson  that,  whilst  the  earthly 
house  of  this  tabernacle  is  being  taken  down,  there  is 
the  least  possible  ability  of  laboring  after  an  entrance 
into  the  heavenly  inheritance.  And  if,  by  the  prog- 
ress of  disease,  the  last  hours  of  life  are  wrested  from 
the  dying  man's  control,  that  which  was  so  difficult 
becomes  quite  impossible;  and,  deprived  of  reason,  he 
passes  into  eternity,  to  find  out  what  a  fearful  thing 
it  is  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  a  living  God." 

Suppose,  for  a  moment,  that  the  Hebrews  had  neg- 
lected to  obey  the  order  in  the  text;  would  it  have 
been  possible  for  them  to  pitch  their  tents  in  the 
middle  of  the  river,  and  kindle  their  camp  fires  in 
the  swellings  of  Jordan,  and  prepare  for  the  passage, 
when  they  were  making  the  passage?  So,  it  may 
not  be  possible  for  you  to  prepare  for  dying,  when 
the  time  of  your  departure  is  at  hand;  and,  therefore, 
the  message  comes  to  you  with  all  the  more  force, 
"Prepare  to  meet  thy  God."^  Delay  no  longer  this 
1  Amos  iv.  12. 


396  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

most  important  of  all  life's  duties,  but  "Acquaint  now 
thyself  with  Him  and  be  at  peace."  ^ 

Our  sermon  is  now  ended,  but  we  must  be  allowed 
to  add,  by  w^ay  of  application,  that  it  brings  abundant 
encouragement  to  every  son  and  daughter  of  the  Lord 
Almiglity.  As  Ave  have  already  intimated,  death  is 
often  dreadful  enough  even  to  the  Christian.  But 
if  only  you  will  prepare  for  it,  as  we  have  recom- 
mended, its  dreadfulness  will  depart.  In  the  epistlo 
to  the  Hebrews  we  read  of  some,  "  Who  through  fear 
of  death  were  all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage."' 
And  among  the  saints  of  the  present  generation  we 
meet  with  many  whose  bright  days  are  all  darkened 
by  "the  shadows  of  the  evening."^  Perhaps,  indeed,  I 
speak  to  some  of  these  fearing  disciples,  and  for  your 
special  comfort  I  would  remind  you,  that  God  is  often 
better  to  His  people  tlian  their  fears. 

It  is  more  than  probable  that  the  children  of  Israel 
entertained  many  and  great  fears  concerning  the  pas- 
sage of  the  Jordan.  But,  beliold  what  God  did  for 
them !  It  was  the  next  day  after  the  order  of  the 
text  was  issued  that  Joshua  issued  another,  saying, 
"Sanctify  yourselves:  for  to-morrow  the  Lord  will  do 
wonders  among  you."*  To-morrow  soon  came,  and 
early  in  the  morning  there  were  strange  movements 
in  the  Hebrew  camp.  The  tents  were  all  struck;  the 
Tabernacle  was  taken  down;  the  banners  were  lifted 
up;  and  the  twelve  tribes  were  harnessed  and  dis- 
posed in  their  usual  marching  order. 

1  Job  xxii.  21.  2  Heb.  ii.  15. 

3  Jer.  vi.  4.  <  Josh.  iii.  5. 


CROSSING    THE   JORDAN.  397 

But  where  are  they  going?  Have  they  given  up 
all  hope  of  crossing  the  river,  and  are  they  about  to 
retire  to  tlie  Aviiderness,  in  which  they  had  Avandered 
so  long?  Have  tliey  heard  the  sad  tidings  that  the 
giant  "sons  of  Anak"^  are  coming  down  upon  them 
from  the  north  country  ?  and  are  they  making  haste 
to  get  out  of  the  way  of  these  men  of  "great  stature"? 
Many  causes  might  be  imagined  for  the  strange  com- 
motion in  their  camp ;  but  the  truth  soon  appears,  as 
"The  ark  of  the  covenant"  is  seen  moving  slowly 
towards  the  river.  The  priests,  bearing  their  blessed 
burden,  marched  with  measured  steps,  and  great  sol- 
emnity, straight  into  the  rushing  stream,  and  just  as 
soon  as  their  feet  "were  dipped  in  the  brim  of  the 
water," Hhe  waters  clave  to  the  other  shore.  "And 
the  priests  that  bare  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  the 
Lord  stood  firm  on  dry  ground  in  the  midst  of  Jordan, 
and  all  the  Israelites  passed  over  on  dry  ground,  until 
all  the  people  were  passed  clean  over  Jordan."^ 

And,  beloved  in  the  Lord,  if  only  you  will  lay  hold 
of  the  Saviour's  strength,  and  cast  yourselves  entirely 
on  His  kind  arms,  with  His  dying  grace  He  Avill  do 
wonders  for  you  in  the  dying  hour.  A  great  trem- 
bling may  come  upon  you  Avhen  you  think  of  going- 
do  Avn  to  tread  the  verge  of  Jordan :  "  For  ye  have  not 
passed  this  way  heretofore.""  But  Jesus  has;  and 
you  shall  see  His  footprints  along  the  shore.  "He 
knoAveth  all  the  fords,"  and  will  be  your  guide  unto 
death  and  through  death.     And  by  His  presence  and 

»  Num.  liii.  33.  2  Josh.  iii.  15. 

3  Josh.  iii.  17.  ■*  Josh.  iii.  4. 


398  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

blessing  your  passage  of  the  dark  waters  shall  be  as 
pleasant  as  that  of  the  pilgrims  at  the  close  of  their 
progress. 

"NoAv  I  shall  have  no  more  need  of  these  crutches, 
since  yonder  are  chariots  and  horses  for  me  to  ride 
oh,"  said  the  lame  man  whom  Bunyan  calls  Mr.  Ready- 
to-halt;  and  he  left  them  on  this  side  of  the  river. 
The  last  words  of  Mr.  Despondency  were,  "  FarcAvell, 
night!  Welcome,  day!"  ]\Iiss  Much -Afraid  went 
"  singing "  through  the  swellings  of  Jordan.  And 
when  Mr.  Standfast  was  about  lialf  Avay  over,  he 
stood  awhile  and  talked  on  this  wise  to  those  who 
had  waited  on  him  thither,  "This  river  has  been  a 
terror  to  many;  yea,  the  thoughts  of  it  also  have 
frightened  me:  now,  methinks,  I  stand  easy;  my  foot 
is  fixed  upon  that  on  which  the  feet  of  the  priests 
that  bare  the  ark  of  the  covenant  stood,  while  Israel 
went  over  Jordan.  The  waters,  indeed,  are  to  the  pal- 
ate bitter,  and  to  the  stomach  cold;  yet  the  thoughts 
of  what  I  am  going  to,  and  of  the  conduct  that  Avaits 
for  me  on  tlie  other  side,  doth  lie  as  a  glowing  coal 
at  my  heart.  I  see  myself  now  at  the  end  of  my 
journey:  my  toilsome  days  are  ended.  I  am  going 
to  see  that  head  that  was  crowned  with  thorns,  and 
that  face  that  was  spit  upon  for  me.  I  have  formerly 
lived  by  hearsay  and  ftiith;  but  now  I  go  where  I 
shall  live  by  sight,  and  shall  be  with  Him  in  Avhose 
company  I  delight  myself.  I  have  loved  to  hear  my 
Lord  spoken  of;  and  wherever  I  have  seen  the  print 
of  His  shoe  in  the  earth,  there  I  have  coveted  to  set 
my  foot  too.     His  name  has  been  to  me  as  a  civet- 


CROSSING    THE  JORDAN.  399. 

box;  yea,  sweeter  than  all  perfumes.  His  voice  to 
me  has  been  most  sweet;  and  His  comitenance  I  have 
more  desired  than  they  that  have  most  desired  the 
light  of  the  sun.  His  Avords  I  did  use  to  gather  for 
my  food,  and  for  antidotes  against  my  faintings.  He 
has  held  me,  and  hath  kept  me  from  mine  iniquities; 
yea,  my  steps  have  been  strengthened  in  His  way." 

"Now,  while  he  was  thus  in  discourse,  his  counte- 
nance changed;  his  strong  men  bowed  under  him: 
and  after  he  had  said,  'Take  me,  for  I  come  unto 
thee,'  he  ceased  to  be  seen  of  them." 

"But  glorious  it  was  to  see,  how  the  open  region 
was  filled  with  horses  and  chariots,  with  trumpeters 
and  pipers,  with  singers  and  players  on  stringed  in- 
struments, to  welcome  the  pilgrims  as  they  went  up, 
and  followed  one  another  in  at  the  beautiful  gate  of 
the  city." 

Believing  that  there  are  some  here  present  who 
have  made  no  preparation  for  dying,  we  can  not  close 
without  a  word  in  season  to  them.  And,  beloved  out 
of  Christ,  what  shall  we  say  to  you?  H'  what  we 
have  already  said  has  made  no  impression  on  your 
minds,  what  shall  we  more  say?  In  a  little  while 
you,  too,  must  go  down  into  the  dark  waters;  and 
what  will  you  do  then,  if  you  have  no  personal  inter- 
est in  Christ? 

Perhaps,  already  in  the  time  of  "pining  sickness,"^ 

you  have  had  some  faint  foretoken  of  what  it  will  be 

to  die.     And,  if  the  shaking  of  the  tabernacle  proved 

greater  than  you  could  bear,  how  will  you  endure  the 

1  Isa.  xxxviii.  12. 


400  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

dissolution  of  the  earthly  house?  If  you  could  not 
cross  Avitli  composure  the  slialloAv  stream  of  some 
slight  indisposition,  liow  ^vill  you  be  able  to  ford  the 
deep  river,  where  Christian  Avas  almost  drowned? 
*'If  thou  hast  run  with  tlie  footmen,  and  they  have 
wearied  thee,  then  how  canst  thou  contend  with 
horses?  and  if  in  the  land  of  peace,  Avherein  thou 
trustedst,  they  wearied  thee,  then  how  wilt  thou  do 
in  the  swelling  of  Jordan  ?  "  ^ 

It  is  often  the  most  difficult  thing  for  God's  dearest 
people  to  die.  They  come  down  fearing  and  trem- 
bling to  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  launch  away,  hop- 
ing against  hd^'e.  And  now  sinking,  and  then  rising, 
and  always  struggling,  they  just  make  the  shining- 
shore :  "And  if  the  righteous  scarcely  be  saved,  Avhere 
shall  the  ungodly  and  the  sinner  appear?  "=  Have 
you  not  heard,  have  you  not  read,  and  do  you  not 
know,  that  the  river  Jordan  empties  into  the  Dead 
Sea — that  only  earthly  image  of  the  second  death? 
And  may  I  not  remind  you,  here  and  now,  that  if  you 
fail  to  reach  the  heavenward  side  of  the  darker  river 
towards  which  your  feet  are  tending,  \o^^  Avill  be  car- 
ried swiftly  down  with  the  raging  flood,  and  cast 
away  "in  the  lake  which  burnetii  with  fire  and  brim- 
stone: which  is  the  second  death."' 

What !  can  it  be  possible  that  some  of  you  have 
made  no  preparation  for  dying.  Liable  at  any  mo- 
ment to  be  called  to  cross  the  swelling  stream,  and 
yet,  you  have  neither  staff,  nor  scrip,  nor  provisions 
for  the  passage.  And  how  can  you  expect  to  reach 
1  Jer.  xii.  5.  2  i  pet.  iv,  18.  3  Rev.  xxi.  8. 


CROSSING   THE  JORDAN.  46 1 

the  other  side  in  safety?  But  if  yon  are  aAvakened, 
you  need  not  despair;  if  you  are  anxious,  you  may 
have  hope :  for  Jesus,  our  Joshua,  is  standing  here  to- 
day, with  open,  outstretched  arms,  calling  you  to 
come  to  Him.  Hear  how  tenderly  He  pleads  with 
you !  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are 
heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest."^  Come  now; 
time  is  precious;  time  is  passing,  and  in  a  little  while 
time  shall  be  no  longer. 

We  have  read  somewhere  of  a  little  child  who  was 
pleasantly  and  peacefully  passing  over  Jordan.  Kin- 
dred and  kind  friends  were  gathered  round  her  dying 
couch  waiting  upon  her,  and  anticipating  every  want. 
Her  eye  was  growing  dim,  and  she  could  scarcely  see. 
Her  ear  was  growing  dull,  and  she  could  scarcely 
hear.  Her  tongue  was  cleaving  to  the  roof  of  her 
mouth,  and  could  hardly  do  its  office  any  more:  for 
she  could  only  speak  at  long  intervals,  and  in  the 
lowest  whisper. 

Noticing  that  her  lips  were  moving,  a  member  of 
the  family  leaned  over  and  listened,  if  perchance  her 
dying  words  might  be  heard,  and  garnered  up.  In  a 
soft,  sweet,  still,  small  voice  she  said,  "  Lift  me  higher." 
Her  loving  mother  made  haste  to  put  a  pillow  under 
her  head.  But  still  she  kept  on  saying  the  same 
thing:  "Lift  me  higher;"  and  Avith  gentle  hands  they 
raised  her  up,  and  pressed  another  pillow  under  her 
shoulders. 

Perceiving  now  that  she  was  misunderstood,  she 
stretched  out  her  pale,  thin  hand  and  pointed  upward, 
>  Mat  xi.  28. 


402  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES: 

saying,  "No,  no,^  not  that,  but  there!  lift  me  higher!" 
Then  they  knew  that  she  was  talking  not  to  them 
down  here,  but  to  Jesus  in  heaven;  and  so  praying, 
she  vanished  from  their  view.  And  on  her  grave- 
stone there  is,  first  of  all,  the  image  of  her  pure  white 
hand  pointing  upward,  then  her  name  and  age,  and 
then  these  words,  "  Lifted  higher." 

Dearly  beloved,  when  soon  or  late  your  dying  feet 
shall  touch  the  dark  waters,  may  your  experience  be 
like  hers;  and  when  your  ear  can  not  hear  it,  may 
this  be  your  eulogy;  when  jo\xr  eye  can  not  see  it, 
may  this  be  your  epitaph,  "  Lifted  higher." 

"The  Lord  bless  thee,  and  keep  thee:  the  Lord 
make  his  face  shine  upon  thee,  and  be  gracious  unto 
thee:  the  Lord  lift  up  his  countenance  upon  thee, 
and  give  thee  peace." 


OUR    HEAVENLY    HOME. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

*'/«  my  Father^s  house  are  many  mansions .'*'' — ^JoHN  xiv.  2. 

HOjME,  mother,  Jesus,  and  heaven,  are  the  sweet- 
est words  in  human  language.  And  in  all 
this  congregation,  as  we  fondly  think,  there  can  not 
l>e  found  one  whose  heart  will  not  respond  most 
heartily  to  our  faithful  and  true  saying,  concerning 
these  best  and  ever  blessed  words, — home,  mother, 
Jesus,  and  heaven. 

A  mother  at  home  makes  home  so  sweet;  her  liv- 
ing presence  is  brighter  than  the  brightest  sunshine 
in  the  shadiest  place  of  sorrow;  and  to  her  loving 
smile  the  father's  house  is  indebted  for  more  than 
half  of  its  happiness.  And  a  mother  in  heaven  makes 
heaven  more  homelike,  and  more  to  be  desired ;  while 
a  whole  family  in  heaven,  sitting  at  the  feet  of  Jesus, 
were  enough  to  double  its  unspeakable  joys. 

It  would  be  pleasant  and  profitable  to  contemplate 
heaven,  as  the  Lamb -lit  city,  and  the  life -watered 
Paradise ;  but  it  will  be  more  pleasant  and  more  prof- 
itable to  consider  it  as  our  Father's  house  and  future 
home;  for  such  it  truly  is,  and  actually  will  be  if  we 
are  His  children.  It  brings  heaven  nearer,  and  ren- 
ders it  dearer  to  our  hearts,  when  our  Elder  Brother 
speaks  about  it  after  this  manner:  "In  my  Father's 
house  are  many  mansions." 


406  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

All  that  is  precious  in  the  recollection  of  our  earthly- 
father's  house,  all  that  is  sweet  in  the  remembrance 
of  that  home — a  word  so  musical  in  its  sound,  and 
so  big  with  blessed  meaning — is  here  summoned  by 
the  Saviour  to  express  the  blessedness  of  that  heaven 
from  which  He  came  and  to  which  He  was  going, 
and  which  will  one  day  be  the  habitation  and  the 
happiness  of  every  follower  of  Jesus:  "In  my  Fa- 
thers house  are  many  mansions:  if  it  were  not  so,  I 
would  have  told  you.  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for 
you.  And  if  I  go  and  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  will 
come  again,  and  receive  you  unto  myself;  that  where 
I  am,  there  ye  may  be  also."  ^ 

My  father's  house,  your  father's  house,  our  father's 
house,  hoAV  much  like  home  it  makes  our  heaven 
seem!  When  we  think  of  God  as  God,  "the  high 
and  lofty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity,  Avhose  name 
is  Holy,"^  a  dreadful  feeling  comes  over  us.  "When 
I  consider,  I  am  afraid  of  Him."^  And  as  we  come 
troubled  and  trembling  to  His  presence,  we  can  almost 
hear  Him  saying,  "Draw  not  nigh  hither:  put  off  thy 
shoes  from  off  thy  feet:  for  the  place  whereon  thou 
standest  is  holy  ground."*  But  when  we  think  of 
Him  as  our  Father, — knoAving  the  tenderness  of  a 
father's  heart,  having  seen  the  tear  standing  in  a 
father's  eye,  and  the  kind  words  of  welcome  quiver- 
ing on  his  lip, — the  dreadful  feeling  flies  away,  and 
we  begin  to  love  Him:  "There  is  no  fear  in  love; 
but  perfect  love  casteth  out  fear."® 

'  John  xiv.  2,  3.  2  isa.  Ivii.  15.  3  Job  xxiii.  15. 

4  Exod.  iii.  5.  »  i  John  iv.  18. 


aUR  HE  A  VENL  Y  HOME.  407 

So,  when  we  think  of  heaven  as  heaven,  that  pure 
and  holy  place  where  "the  king  eternal,  immortal, 
invisible,  the  only  wise  God,"^  is  "dwelling  in  the 
light  which  no  man  can  approach  unto,"^  we  are 
overwhelmed  and  oppressed  with  the  tormenting 
thought  that  we  shall  never  be  able  to  reach  "the 
land  that  is  very  far  off."'  As  we  strive  to  climb 
that  way,  the  better  country  seems  to  recede  fur- 
ther from  our  sinful  selves,  as  the  stars  appear  to  fly 
away  from  the  traveller  who  is  ascending  the  Andes. 
"Such  knowledge  is  too  wonderful  for  me:  it  is  high, 
I  can  not  attain  unto  it."*  But  when  we  think  of 
heaven  as  our  Father's  house,  and  the  dear  home  to 
which  our  best  brother  Jesus  went,  when  He  went 
aAvay,  it  brings  it  down  from  its  inaccessible  height, 
and  draws  it  so  near  to  us  that  there  is  but  a  step 
between  its  threshold  and  our  pilgrim  feet. 

And  when  the  stranger  feeling  comes  over  us  in  this 
strange  land,  it  is  no  wonder  that  we  become  so  home- 
sick that,  like  Paul,  we  are  in  a  "  strait  betwixt  two, 
having  a  desire  to  depart,  and  to  be  with  Christ, 
which  is  far  better."*^  Our  eyes  are  often  turned 
towards  heaven, -and,  in  the  "time  to  mourn,"  our 
hearts  are  like  to  break  with  the  longing  they  have 
to  be  at  home.  Not  long  ago,  at  the  landing  by  the 
river-side,  we  saw  a  company  of  emigrants  with  their 
boxes  and  bundles.  The  little  children  were  gathered 
around  a  big  iron-bound  chest,  which  had  the  look  of 
a  far  countr}^,  and  the  smell  of  the  sea.     This  chest 

»  I  Tim.  i.  17.         21  Tim.  vi.  16.         3  isa.  xxxiii.  17. 
<  Ps.  cxxxix.  6.       5  Phil.  i.  23. 


408  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

served  them  for  a  table,  and  was  fnrnislied  Avitli  just 
one  loaf  of  bread,  and  a  cnp  of  cold  water.  AVliile 
tlie  soiTow^al  mother  waited  on  her  beloved  offspring, 
BOW  and  then  she  drew  the  corner  of  her  apron  across 
her  eyes,  thinking,  doubtless,  about  that  far  away  fa- 
ther s  house  that  lay  so  heavy  on  her  heart.  It  Avould 
have  been  better  for  her  every  way,  if  she  could  have 
forgotten  the  sweet  home  she  left  beyond  the  sea,  and 
addressed  herself  to  the  duty  of  making  another  in 
this  better  country. 

But  in  regard  to  the  Christian  homesick  for  heaven, 
it  would  be  better  for  him,  more  and  more,  to  think 
about  it:  to  make  it  his  meditation  all  the  day,  and 
when  waking  in  the  watches  of  the  night.  By  doing 
so,  he  would  become  more  homesick,  it  is  true;  but, 
at  the  same  time,  he  would  become  more  happy,  and 
more  heavenly-minded,  till  at  last,  with  Avings  like  a 
dove,  he  would  fly  away  and  be  at  rest. 

And  be  at  rest.  To  many  people  the  rest  of  heaven 
is  its  chief  attraction.  The  working  man,  as  bending 
to  his  task,  the  sweat  of  sorrow  bursts  upon  his  face; 
the  sick  man  stretched,  as  it  Avould  seem  to  be,  upon 
a  bed  of  thorns,  and  tossed  to  and  fro  Avith  a  burning 
fcA^er;  and  the  man  of  mental  labor,  Avho  earns  his 
bread  by  the  SAveat  of  his  brain, — all  these  think  of 
heaven  as  a  place  of  rest:  rest  from  toil,  rest  from 
care,  rest  from  pain.  Now  all  this  heaven  is  and 
more  abundantly.  It  is  a  home  rest.  The  tired  traA^- 
eller  may  rest  very  Avell  at  the  tavern,  and  the  sick 
man  may  rest  at  the  hospital;  but  rest  at  home  is 
the  SAveetest  rest.     The  weary-footed  Avayfaring  man 


OUR  HEAVENLY  HOME.  4O9 

never  rests  so  well,  nor  sleeps  so  somidly,  as  in  his 
father's  house.  And  who  does  not  know  that  the 
aching  head  never  lies  so  softly  as  on  the  pillow 
smoothed  by  a  mother's  hand. 

Home  is  that  sweet  and  holy  place  where  the  soul 
lives  and  loves  and  lingers,  refusing  ever  to  depart; 
and  to  which  it  often  brings  tlie  absent  body  back 
"witli  willing  and  elated  feet.  Tlie  tenderest  associ- 
ations, the  purest  joys,  the  brightest  hopes,  and  the 
dearest  memories  cluster  round  that  dwelling-place 
of  so  many  delights,  compared  with  which,  all  otlier 
abodes  are  cold  and  comfortless.  It  lias  ties  softer 
than  silk,  and  stronger  than  iron,  with  wliich  the 
members  of  the  family  are  bound  together  like  a 
bundle  of  m^a-rh.  Touched  by  its  magic  power,  the 
hardest  human  heart  begins  to  melt  and  run  away, 
like  rivers  of  Avaters,  through  eyes  unused  to  weep. 
Who  does  not  know  sometliing  of  its  strength  and 
sweetness?  What  man  is  there  among  you,  in  Avhose 
ear  the  thought  of  home  does  not  float  like  celestial 
music  ?  When  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  Avas  over  and 
ended,  many  of  the  soldiers  obtained  a  furlough  to  re- 
turn home,  to  rest  awhile ;  and  immediately  it  passed 
into  a  proverb  in  the  camp,  "They  are  going  to  para- 
dise." After  their  forced  marches,  their  long-suffering 
in  the  trenches,  and  their  hard  fighting,  they  Avere 
better  able  to  appreciate  their  home;  and,  Avith  one 
consent,  they  called  it  paradise. 

And  noAv,  although  Ave  may  not  take  the  earthly 
home  as  the  express  image  of  the  heavenl}'-,  never- 
theless, by  placing  them   side  by  side,  through  the 


410  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

imperfections  of  the  one,  we  shall  be  better  able  to 
see  the  perfections  of  the  other. 

Heaven  is  a  happj  home.  The  earthly  home  is 
never  perfectly  happy ;  and  in  many  families  there  is 
more  misery  than  we  imagine.  And,  knowing  that 
they  are  all  nn happy,  we  should  rather  say  that  one 
is  less  sorrowful  than  another.  If  only  we  could  be 
lifted  up  to  some  lofty  plane  beyond  yon  azure  can- 
opy, and  all  beneath  were  unroofed  and  visible  to  our 
eyes,  how  many  mourners  and  how  much  suffering 
would  we  see ! 

Down  there  in  that  damp  basement,  there  is  a  poor 
broken-hearted  widow  surrounded  by  her  children, 
half  clad  and  hungry  and  crying  for  bread.  And 
in  the  top  story  of  the  same  dilapidated  tenement, 
a  mother  is  dying.  One  after  another,  her  beloved 
offspring  come  bending  over  her  couch,  saying,  with 
strong  crying  and  tears,  "  Mother,  dear  mother,  do 
you  not  knoAV  me  ? "  and  all  at  once  she  breathes  no 
more.  Over  yonder  in  that  new  house  by  the  hill- 
side, there  is  an  empty  cradle  in  the  dark  corner  of 
an  empty  chamber,  and  two  lonely  parents  cower- 
ing over  the  lifeless  but  sacred  body  of  their  cherub- 
like child.  And  in  that  little  cottage  just  across  the 
street,  an  aged  father  is  already  coffined,  and  the 
black  hearse  is  waiting  at  the  door  to  take  him  to 
liis  long  home. 

Yes,  and  in  many  dwellings  far  and  near,  there 
would  be  sadder  things  than  these,  if  we  could  see 
them ;  for  there  is  something  worse  than  death :  there 
is  a  nameless  sorrow,  and  a  hidden  grief,  which  with 


0  UR  HE  A  VENL  Y  HOME.  4 1 . 1 

invisible  hands,  and  a  hammer  without  sound  drives 
the  sharpest  iron  through  the  lather's  heart,  when  he 
thinks  about  his  poor  prodigal  son;  and  sends  the 
mother  of  her  lost  daughter  mourning  to  an  untimely 
grave.     A  living  trouble  is  Avorse  than  a  dead  trouble. 

It  was  the  wickedness  of  his  children  that  made 
Jacob  such  a  sorrowful  man.  Who  can  forget  the 
story  of  Joseph?  His  brethren  envied  him;  they 
were  jealous  of  him ;  they  hated  him ;  and,  in  order  to 
get  him  out  of  the  way,  they  sold  him  into  perpetual 
slavery.  And  having  stained  his  coat  of  many  colors 
with  the  blood  of  a  kid,  they  took  the  red  thing  home 
to  their  father's  tent,  saying,  with  their  lying  lips, 
"This  have  we  found:  know  now  whether  it  be  thy 
son's  coat  or  no ;  and  he  knew  it,  and  said.  It  is  my 
son's  coat;  an  evil  beast  hath  devoured  him:  Joseph 
is  without  doubt  rent  in  pieces."^ 

What  disposition  the  weeping  patriarch  made  of 
that  bloody  garment,  we  do  not  know;  but  we  can 
not  help  thinking  that  he  fondly  clierished  it  as  a 
remembrancer  of  his  best  and  best  beloved  son ;  and 
his  eyes  never  rested  on  it,  that  they  were  not  blinded 
by  unbidden  tears.  The  bitter  thought,  that  it  Avas 
Joseph's  coat,  was  a  blessed  thought  as  Avell  as  bitter; 
and  we  can  not  count  it  a  strange  thing  if  it  was  cher- 
ished, though  it  crushed  the  heart  that  cherished  it. 

Tliere  is  a  touching  story,  something  like  this,  con- 
cerning a  little  child  in  Switzerland.  Like  Moses,  he 
was  "exceeding  fair,"^  and  had  so  many  sweet  and 
winning  Avays  that  he  Avas  almost  Avorshipped.  With 
'  Gen.  xxxv-ii.  32,  33.  2  Acts  vii.  20. 


412  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

her  own  hands,  his  mother  made  him  a  Httle  coat  of 
scarlet  silk,  all  curiousl}-  and  exquisitely  embroidered ; 
and  the  next  morning-  after  the  "i-aiment  of  needle- 
work "  was  finished,  she  put  it  on  him,  and  sent  him 
out  to  play.  A  mother's  kiss  was  still  resting  on  his 
ruddy  cheek,  and  he  had  scarcely  passed  the  thresh- 
old of  the  cottage,  where  he  was  born,  when  a  great 
eagle  snatched  him  away  to  her  nest  high  up  among 
the  mountains,  but  still  within  sight  of  that  home  of 
which  he  had  been  the  joy  and  expectation.  The 
eyrie  was  inaccessible,  and  there,  Avith  deliberation, 
as  it  would  seem,  the  eagles  gathered  and  devoured 
him.  But,  in  tearing  the  child  asunder,  these  birds 
of  prey  left  his  "  gay  clothing  "  hanging  partly  over 
the  edge  of  the  nest  like  a  little  flag.  When  the 
wind  blew  it  would  flutter,  and  when  the  sun  sinned 
its  bright  buttons  would  sparkle.  For  a  long  time 
after  the  eagles  abandoned  their  nest,  that  little  coat 
was  visible  there;  and  every  time  the  father  went  to 
his'  Avork,  he  Avould  look  that  way,  saying  in  his 
heart,  so  sadly,  "It  is  my  son's  coat."  And  as  Aveek 
after  Aveek  the  mother  Avatched  it  from  the  AvindoAV 
of  her  house,  it  became  the  double  emblem  of  her  joy 
and  sorroAV. 

And  in  the  happiest  earthly  home  there  is  con- 
stantly coming  to  pass  something  like  this.  The  lit- 
tle high  chair,  once  so  beautifully  occupied  by  your 
Benjamin  and  Benoni,  but  noAv  so  painfully  empty, 
Avill  sometimes  be  seen,  no  matter  Avliere  you  store  it 
aAvay.  And  Avhen,  in  haste,  you  open  the  drawer  in 
search  of  something  your  face  turns  pale,  and  your 


0  UR  HE  A  VENL  V  HOME.  4 1 3 

tears  begin  to  flow,  "Woman  why  Aveepest  thou?" 
Is  it  not  because  you  saw' some  memorial  of  the  dear 
departed?  Perhaps  it  was  the  dead  baby's  dress, — a 
long  white  baptismal  dress;  or  a  little  pair  of  worsted 
shoes.  Perhaps  it  was  a  pocket  Bible,  a  birthday 
gift  to  one  who  is  gone  to  the  grave, — your  son's 
Bible, — the  book  he  loved  to  read  so  much;  and 
though  liis  mouldering  fingers  shall  mark  its  precious 
passages  no  more,  yet,  how  much  you  prize  it !  Why, 
every  leaf  is  better  worth  to  you  than  tlie  biggest 
bank-note  that  was  ever  issued !  a  sad  yet  sweet  me- 
morial. Perhaps  it  was  a  coat — your  son's  coat,  the 
one  he  wore  the  last  time  he  went  out  to  walk — your 
Joseph's  coat.  Perhaps  it  was  a  photograph,  only 
the  shadow  it  is  true,  but  j^et,  the  very  next  thing  to 
the  substance:  his  form  is  there,  and  every  feature 
is  so  perfect;  and,  best  of  all,  his  smile  is  there,  so 
sweet  and  pleasant,  with  which  he  used  to  meet  you 
morning,  noon,  and  night.  And  when  you  take  the 
large  Bible  on  your  knee,  to  read  a  chapter,  it  will 
often  open,  of  itself,  between  the  Testaments;  and, 
as  you  glance  at  the  family  record,  you  notice  that 
the  births  and  the  burials  are  exactly  equal  to  ono 
another. 

Such  things  as  these  are  constantly  occurring  in 
the  happiest  earthly  home;  but  in  the  heavenly  home, 
"God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  ej-es;  and 
there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow  nor  cry- 
ing, neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain:  for  the 
former  things  are  passed  away."^  Sin,  which  is  the 
1  Eev.  xxi.  4. 


414  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

cause  of  all  our  suffering  here,  shall  never  enter  there ; 
and  just  because  Ave  shall  be  free  from  sin  forever,  we 
shall  be  forever  free  from  sorrow.  In  the  book  of 
Life  no  death  will  ever  be  recorded,  and  in  the  better 
country  no  grave  Avill  ever  be  opened.  There  will  be 
no  time  "to  heal"  in  heaven,  and  no  time  "to  hate," 
and  no  time  "to  pluck  up  that  which  is  planted,"  and 
no  time  "to  mourn;"  all  will  be  a  time  of  health  and 
love  and  life  and  "joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory."  ^ 
Not  one  of  the  many  mansions  when  once  occupied 
shall  ever  be  left  empty;  no  bounding  heart  will  ever 
be  broken  in  heaven,  and  no  bright  eye  will  ever  be 
dimmed  there  with  time  or  trouble  or  tears,  or  any 
such  thing.  The  complete  happiness  of  "the  whole 
family  in  heaven  "  ^  is  set  before  us  in  these  splendid 
and  sublime  words  of  inspiration, — words  which  Eob- 
ert  Burns,  the  peasant  poet  of  Scotland,  could  never 
read  without  weeping, — "  These  are  they  which  came 
out  of  great  tribulation,  and  have  washed  their  robes 
and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 
Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne  of  God,  and 
serve  Him  day  and  night  in  His  temple:  and  He 
that  sitteth  on  the  throne  shall  dwell  among  them. 
They  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more: 
neither  shall  the  sun  light  on  them,  nor  any  heat:  for 
the  Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  shall 
feed  them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto  living  fountains 
of  waters:  and  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from 
their  eyes."' 

Heaven  is  a  beautiful  home.     The  imagery  of  the 
'  1  Pet.  i.  8.  2  Eph.  iii.  14  s  Kev.  vii.  14-17. 


OUR  HEAVENLY  HOME.  415 

text  was  probably  borrowed  from  the  Temple  in  Jeru- 
salem, whicli  Jesus  was  sometimes  pleased  to  call  His 
Father's  house,  and  Avhicli  was  confessedly  the  most 
beautiful  and  imposing  structure  that  ever  adorned 
the  earth.  It  was  made  after  a  heavenly  pattern, 
and  was  intended  to  be  the  "shadow  of  heavenly 
things."  ^  It  was,  in  every  sense,  "  the  house  of  the 
Lord,"  and  was  built  according  to  His  most  special 
directions,  and  for  His  most  special  habitation.  It 
was,  in  fact,  a  little  heaven,  chosen  as  tlie  visible 
dwelling-place  of  the  Most  High;  and  consecrated, 
sanctified,  and  glorified  by  His  visible  presence.  It 
was  beautiful  for  situation,  more  beautiful  in  itself, 
but  most  beautiful  in  its  purpose :  "  Out  of  Zion,  the 
perfection  of  beauty,  God  hath  shined."  ^  Guided  by 
the  Old  Testament,  many  have  attempted  to  describe 
the  Temple  but  they  have  all  failed;  and  those  who 
saw  it  and  walked  through  its  courts  have  succeeded 
no  better;  because  there  is  neither  speech  nor  lan- 
guage by  which  its  glory  and  its  beauty  could  be 
sufficiently  set  forth.  Its  exterior  appearance  rivalled 
the  splendor  of  the  rising  sun ;  while  the  interior  was 
finished  and  furnished  and  enriched  and  embellished 
with  every  thing  that  nature  and  art  and  wealth  and 
taste  could  supply.  In  the  expressive  language  of  in- 
spiration, it  was,  as  it  was  to  be,  "  exceeding  magni- 
fical,  of  fame  and  of  glory  throughout  all  countries." ' 
]\Ioreover,  our  heavenly  home,  is  a  house  of  man- 
sions. And  a  mansion  is  better  every  way  than  a  cot- 
tage or  a  common  dwelling.  It  is  more  elegant,  com- 
»  Heb.  viii.  5.  =  Ps.  1.  2.  3  i  Chron.  xxii.  5. 


4l6  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

mocliouF,  and  inviting;  and  can  be  owned  and  occnpied 
only  by  the  noble,  the  Avealth}^,  and  the  great  people 
of  the  earth.  In  the  lowly  tenement  of  the  laboring 
poor  there  is  hardly  room  enough  for  the  famil3^;  and 
a  dwelling-house  which  is  ample  and  conveniently 
arranged  is  greatly  to  be  desired;  but  a  mansion  is 
something  very  magnificent,  being  better  located,  and 
superior  in  its  construction,  and  furnished  Avith  all 
the  comforts  and  elegancies  and  luxuries  of  life. 

In  our  democratic  country  there  is  but  one  build- 
ing that  is  called  a  palace;  and  mansions  are  so  few 
that  the  majority  of  our  people  have  never  seen  any 
of  them.  Let  us,  therefore,  glance  at  one  as  Ave 
pass  along.  Its  beautiful  surroundings  need  scarcely 
envy  Eden  for  their  surpassing  loveliness.  Entering 
the  enchanted  grounds,  at  the  grand  avenue  gate, 
Ave  are  introduced,  at  once,  into  a  very  Avilderness  of 
glory.  Here  is  "  every  tree  Avhich  is  pleasant  to  the 
sight  and  good  for  food;"  and  among  the  ambrosial 
branches  there  are  birds  of  varying  song,  and  smiling 
at  our  feet  are  floAvers  of  every  hue  and  sweetest  fra- 
grance. Streams,  clear  as  crystal,  artificial  lakes,  and 
fountains  flinging  rainboAvs  all  around,  contribute 
much  to  the  charming  beauty  of  this  little  paradise 
through  Avhich  Ave  pass  to  the  palace.  As  Ave  draAV 
near,  there  rises  to  our  vicAv,  story  above  story,  a  res- 
idence Avhicli  rivals  the  home  of  royalty.  The  seat 
of  an  ancient  and  honorable  family;  it  Avas  builded 
long  ago  in  the  best  style  of  architecture,  and  is  a 
perfect  gem  of  beauty.  But  all  its  exterior  sjDlendor 
groAvs  pale,  and  suffers  a  total  eclipse,  Avhen  Ave  pass 


OUR  HEAVENLY  HOME.  417 

witlim.  Here,  every  liall  and  room  is  filled  with  every 
thing*  that  heart  could  wish,  and  the  cunning  work- 
man could  devise.  All  the  walls  are  adorned  with 
the  best  productions  of  the  pencil;  while  the  gold  and 
silver  cups,  and  bronze  vases,  and  marble  statues,  are 
too  numerous  to  be  counted.  Not  only  is  there  noth- 
ing wanting  anywhere,  but  every  apartment  is  so 
superbly  decorated  that  the  eye  is  dazzled,  and  the 
mind  bewildered  Avith  the  superlative  profusion  of 
beauty.  "Through  wisdom  is  an  house  builded;  and 
by  understanding  it  is  established:  And  by  knowl- 
edge shall  the  chambers  be  tilled  with  all  precious 
and  pleasant  riches."^ 

And  when  heaven  is  spoken  of  under  the  similitude 
of  a  mansion,  the  splendor  of  our  future  dwelling-place 
is  certainly  foretokened.  And  as  before  our  advanc- 
ing steps  and  admiring  e^^es,  the  pearly  gates  of  that 
glorious  home  open  of  themselves,  "  on  golden  hinges 
turning,"  we  almost  hesitate  to  speak  of  its  exceeding 
excellency.  No  mortal  tongue  can  express  its  un- 
speakable magnificence;  nor  can  the  harps  of  all  the 
angels  sound  out  all  its  praises.  The  world  has  been 
emptied,  of  its  richest  imagery,  and  the  whole  uni- 
verse has  contributed  whatever  is  beautiful  to  set 
forth  its  glory;  but  all  these  figures  combined  can 
cast  no  more  than  the  dim  shadow  of  heaven:  "For 
since  the  beginning  of  the  world  men  have  not  heard, 
nor  perceived  by  the  ear,  neither  hath  the  eye  seen, 
0  God,  besides  thee,  what  He  hath  prepared  for  him. 
that  waiteth  for  Him."^ 

'  Prov.  xxiv.  3,  4.  2  Jsa.  Ixiv.  4. 

27 


41 8  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

In  the  Scriptures  there  is  now  and  then  a  glimpse 
of  our  Fathers  house;  but  just  here,  Avhere  the  desire 
to  know  more  is  greatest,  the  spirit  of  inspiration  is 
silent,  and  the  sacred  writers  are  dumb.  We  often 
wondered  that  it  should  be  so ;  but  now  we  wonder 
no  more,  because  that  heaven  which  could  be  brought 
down  to  human  comprehension  would  not  be  worth 
having.  And  much  as  we  love  to  look  at  the  gor- 
geous imagery  with  which  John  has  invested  the 
mansions  of  bliss,  we  greatly  prefer  Paul's  more  sim- 
ple but  most  sublime  description  of  them,  Avhen  he 
says,  "  he  w^as  caught  up  into  Paradise,  and  heard  un- 
speakable words,  which  it  is  not  lawful  for  a  man  to 
utter."  ^  The  great  apostle,  so  far  as  we  know,  is  the 
only  man  who  ever  visited  heaven.  He  walked  the 
golden  streets  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  entered  into  our 
Fathers  house,  and  saw  the  glorious  mansions;  and 
Vhen  he  returned,  he  made  no  mention  of  the  mat- 
ter for  more  than  fourteen  years.  And  when  he  did 
speak  about  it,  in  defence  of  his  commission,  he  made 
no  attempt  to  tell  us  his  experience,  because  it  was 
above  and  beyond  all  telling.  Let  us  rejoice,  there- 
fore, and  be  exceeding  glad  that  we  are  going  to  a 
paradise  of  such  surpassing  glory  and  beauty  that  it 
can  not  be  described. 

Heaven  is  an  abiding  home.  It  seems  obvious 
enough  that  our  house  of  mansions  is  not  a  tempo- 
rary but  a  permanent  dwelHng-place ;  but  to  make 
this  truth  still  more  manifest,  we  may  be  permitted 
to  remark  that  the  root  of  the  word  rendered  man- 
1  II  Cor.  xii.  4. 


OUR  HEAVENLY  HOME.  419 

sions  means  to  remain:  "There  remaineth  therefore 
a  rest  to  the  people  of  God."*  And  this  is  confess- 
edly the  croAvning  glory  of  heaven,  and  ministers  the 
sweetest  comfort,  and  the  strongest  consolation,  to 
those  of  us  who  are  on  our  journey  home.  "  Here 
have  Ave  no  continuing  city;"^  "  no  certain  dwelling- 
place."  ^  It  is  true  we  may  not  seem  like  wayfaring 
men;  nevertheless  Ave  are  nothing  better.  King  Da- 
vid's stately  palace  Avas  a  house  of  pilgrimage. 

For  the  most  part,  Ave  dwell  in  hired  houses,  and 
this  makes  them  appe.ar  more  like  the  moving  tents 
they  are.  And  although  some  of  us  may  have  the 
old  homestead  for  our  habitation,  still  it  is  perishing 
and  passing  away:  "One  generation  passeth  aAvay, 
and  another  generation  cometh."*  The  house  can 
not  be  built  that  Avill  resist  the  ravages  of  time. 
Where  noAV  are  the  golden  mansions  of  the  giant 
cities  of  Bashan  ?  Go  ask  the  modern  traveller  Avho, 
through  much  digging,  finds  in  their  graves  a  fcAV 
broken  fragments  of  their  former  glory.  And  our 
Father's  house  in  Jerusalem,  Avhich  Avas  built  of  such 
great  stones,"^  where  is  it?  Once  and  again,  it  was 
SAvept  aAvay  by  the  torch  of  the  spoiler.  Even  God's 
OAvn  house  could  not  be  insured  against  the  consum- 
ing flame,  and  for  many  years  this  sore  lamentation 
has  been  rising  from  its  ruins:  "Our  holy  and  our 
beautiful  house,  Avhere  our  fathers  praised  thee,  is 
burned  up  Avith  fire ;  and  all  our  pleasant  things  are 
laid  Avaste."  * 

1  Heb.  iv.  9.  2  Heb.  xiii.  14.  3  i  Cor.  iv.  11. 

4  EccL  i.  4.  6  Ezra  v.  8.  e  isa.  Ix.  11. 


420  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

And  as  for  ourselves,  wc  too  are  perisliiiig  and  pass- 
ing away,  we  are  no  better  than  the  houses  of  our  pil- 
gi-image.  "Our  days  on  the  earth  are  as  a  shadow,, 
and  there  is  none  abiding."'  Our  fleeting  bodies  are 
but  the  shelter  tents  of  our  pilgrim  souls.  But  when 
at  last  we  come  to  the  blessed  end  of  our  Aveary  earth- 
way,  we  shall  have  an  immortal  body,  and  an  abiding 
home.  In  place  of  the  shifting  tent,  we  shall  have 
the  house  of  mansions ;  and  the  pilgrim  shall  become 
"  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of  my  God,  and  he  shall  go  no 
more  out."^  "For  we  know  that,  if  our  earthly  house 
of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we  have  a  building 
of  God,  a  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the 
heavens."  ^ 

Sometimes  when  joining  in  the  family  worship, 
where  father  and  mother,  and  brothers  and  sisters, 
constitute  "the  church  that  is  in  their  house,""'  I  have 
felt,  ill  my  own  mind,  the  painful  presentiment  of  the 
days  when  those  sunny  faces  sliall  turn  pale  on  the 
dying  pilloAv,  one  after  another,  and  those  pleasant 
voices  shall  be  hushed  in  the  silence  of  the  grave, 
and  that  sweet  home,  whose  roof-tree  rings  Avith  the 
Lord's  song  morning  and  evening  shall  be  left  lonely 
and  desolate.  But  I  have  comforted  myself  with  the 
blessed  assurance,  that  after  that  perishing  home  shall 
have  passed  away,  like  "a  dream  when  one  awak- 
eth,"^  there  will  be  another  and  a  better  home  on 
high.  It  will  be  tlie  everlasting  resting-place  of  the 
long  lost  and  much  loved  ones:  that  spot,  than  all 

I  I  Chron.  xxix.  15.  2  Rev.  iii.  12.        3  11  Cor.  v.  1. 

■<  Eom.  xvi.  5.  6  pg.  ]xxiii.  20. 


OUR  HEAVENLY  HOME.  42 1 

beside,  the  brightest  and  the  best,  where  all  tlie  wide 
scattered  sons  and  daughters  of  the  Lord  Almighty 
shall  be  gathered  together;  and  the  broken  circles  of 
earth  shall  be  mended  in  heaven;  and  the  loved  ones 
shall  be  ever  loved  and  never  lost  again:  "Their  in- 
heritance shall  be  forever."^ 

If  only  the  thought  of  parting  were  permitted  to 
enter  the  minds  of  the  redeemed  in  glory,  it  would 
make  them  unhappy.  The  blinding  tears  would  gatli- 
er  in  tlieir  eyes  as  they  looked  around  on  the  beautiful 
love-built  mansions  they  might  have  to  leave;  there 
would  be  a  deep  bass  undertone  of  sadness  in  the 
new  song,  and  they  would  sing  it  like  a  melancholy 
wail,  if  there  was  any  peradventure  that  it  might 
cease.  And  oh,  how  their  poor  hearts  Avould  break 
and  their  tongues  stammer  when  they  attempted  to 
talk  to  one  anotlier  about  the  possibility  of  the  former 
things  returning ! 

But,  God  be  thanked,  this  tormenting  thought  shall 
never  cross  the  threshold  of  the  heavenly  home. 
When  we  enter  our  Father's  house,  we  shall  carry 
with  us,  not  only  the  conviction  that  we  are  going 
home,  but  that  Ave  are  going  to  an  abiding  home. 
"  Here  have  we  no  continuing  city,  but  Ave  seek  one 
to  come:"^  "a  city  which  hath  foundations,  Avhose 
builder  and  maker  is  God."^  Here,  in  the  earthly 
home,  our  father  grows  old  and  dies;  and  gray  hairs 
are  here  and  there  upon  our  elder  brother:  but  our 
Father  in  heaven  is  without  beginning  of  years  or 
end  of  days;  and  our  Elder  Brother  Jesus  is  "The 
1  Ps.  xxxvii.  18.  2  Heb.  xiii.  14.         3  Heb.  xi.  10. 


422  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

same  yesterday,  and  to-day,  and  forever."  ^  There  aro 
no  furrows  on  His  brow;  His  eyes  are  not  dim;  and 
"His  locks  are  bushy  and  black  as  a  raven." ^  And 
as  unchanging  as  their  ever-living  Father,  and  as 
young  as  their  never-dying  Brother,  the  whole  family 
in  heaven  shall  be.  The  mother  there  shall  clasp  in 
her  arms,  and  carry  in  her  bosom,  the  babes  that  pre- 
ceded her  to  glory;  and  the  painful  thought  of  part- 
ing with  them  will  never  bring  a  shadow  on  her 
countenance.  The  brother  Avhose  sister  gave  him  the 
home  Avelcome  to  heaven,  shall  never  experience  the 
sorrow  of  being  separated  again  from  one  so  mild 
and  lovely.  He  who  enters  that  happiest  home  feels 
that  the  last  conflict  is  over,  the  last  tear  is  shed, 
the  last  sigh  is  hushed ;  and  that  henceforth  he  shall 
never  change,  except  from  glory  to  glory. 

Oh,  thou  inliabitant  of  the  continuing  city,  thou 
member  of  the  heavenly  home,  thrice  happy  art  thou ! 
"Thy  sun  shall  no  more  go  down;  neither  shall  thy 
moon  withdraAv  itself"  ^  Thine  will  ever  be  a  brow 
on  Avhich  the  drops  of  toil  shall  never  burst;  and 
beneath  the  Aveight  of  waning  years  thy  celestial 
body  shall  never  bend;  nor  shall  thy  work  or  worship 
ever  make  thee  weary.  Thy  happiness  is  more  than 
doubled  by  the  blessed  assurance  of  its  eternal  dura- 
tion. Thou  shalt  sing  the  new  song  forever;  thou 
shalt  sweep  the  golden  harp  forever;  and  all  the  hills 
of  heaven  shall  echo  evermore  these  notes  that  are 
divine,  "I  Avill  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  forever."* 

J  Heb.  xiii.  8.  2  Cant.  v.  11. 

3  Isa.  Ix.  20.  4  Ps.  xxiii.  6. 


O  UR  HE  A  VENL  Y  HOME.  42  3 

Heaven  is  a  peaceful  home.  The  mansions  are  all 
in  one  house ;  and  the  separate  abodes  of  the  redeemed 
in  glory  are  all  Avithin  the  same  walls.  In  the  earthly 
temple  at  Jerusalem,  the  several  courts  were  within 
the  same  sacred  enclosure ;  and  the  numerous  cham- 
bers where  the  priests  and  Levites  lodged,  and  the 
apartments  of  such  devout  Avorshippers  as  Anna  and 
Simeon,  were  all  under  the  same  roof  When  gath- 
ered within  the  precincts  of  their  sanctuary,  at  the 
annual  feasts,  the  twelve  tribes  were  one.  On  the 
same  altar  they  laid  their  various  sacrifices;  from 
their  united  hearts  the  same  prayers  were  offered; 
and  Avith  one  voice  they  sung  the  Lord's  song.  When 
David  contemplated  this  beautiful  sight,  he  said,  "Be- 
hold, how  good  and  how  pleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to 
dwell  together  in  unity !  It  is  like  the  precious  oint- 
ment upon  the  head,  that  ran  doAvn  upon  tlie  beard, 
even  Aaron's  beard :  that  Avent  doAvn  to  the  skirts  of 
his  garments;  as  the  dcAv  of  Hermon,  and  as  the 
dew  that  descended  upon  the  mountains  of  Zion :  for 
there  the  Lord  commanded  the  blessing,  even  life  for 
evermore."^ 

And,  blessed  be  God,  it  will  be  so  Avith  the  Avhole 
family  in  heaven.  In  perfect  and  perpetual  loA^e,  in 
perfect  and  perpetual  peace,  the  sons  and  daughters 
of  the  Lord  Almighty  shall  dwell  together  in  their 
Father's  house;  and  never  forever  shall  any  root  of 
bitterness  spring  up  to  disturb  their  friendly  and 
familiar  intercourse.  Here  and  now  there  are  dis- 
putes and  divisions  among  them:  "Brother  goeth  to 
>  Ps.  cxxxiii. 


424  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

law  with  brother,  and  that  before  the  unbehevers."^ 
In  the  conduct  of  the  most  distinguished  saints  great 
faults  are  often  painfully  apparent.  The  goodliest 
cedars  are  not  all  good ;  some  of  them  are  very- 
crooked  and  rough  and  gnarly,  and  have  need  of  a 
great  deal  of  cleaving  and  hewing  and  polishing. 
"By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  tliem."^  Hence  we 
would  not  question  the  personal  piety  of  any  man,  be- 
cause grace  can  grow  anywhere,  even  on  a  thorn-bush, 
or  a  wild  olive-tree.  But,  it  will  not  be  denied,  that 
many  of  the  Lord's  chosen  people  are  so  imperfect 
and  impertinent,  that  it  is  hard  to  love  them;  and, 
indeed,  the  tempers  of  some  are  so  bad,  and  their 
tongues  so  sharp,  that  it  is  not  pleasant  to  have  any 
communion  or  fellowship  with  them  at  all.  Like  a 
chestnut  bur,  there  is  good  fruit  within  them,  and  their 
hearts  are  lined  witli  a  substance  that  is  softer  than 
silk  velvet,  but  all  over  the  outside  they  bristle  with 
prickles,  and  we  do  not  care  to  take  them  by  the 
hand. 

Long  ago,  when  only  one  family  constituted  the 
church,  and  that  family  consisted  of  but  three  mem- 
bers, together  with  their  servants,  they  could  not 
agree.  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  into  the  tent  of  "the 
friend  of  God,"*  where  angels  were  often  entertained, 
discord  entered:  "And  there  was  a  strife  between  tlie 
herdmen  of  Abram's  cattle  and  the  herdmen  of  Lot's 
cattle ; "  ^  and  this  disagreement  resulted  in  a  life-long 
separation. 

'  I  Cor.  vi.  6.  2  Mat.  vii.  20. 

3  James  ii.  23.  -»  Gen.  xiii.  7. 


0  UR  HE  A  VENL  Y  HOME.  42  5 

Althougli  the  twelve  patriarchs  were  the  sons  of 
the  same  lather,  they  could  not  dwell  together  in 
peace ;  they  hated  Joseph  ;  they  conspired  to  hill 
him;  they  sold  him  into  Egypt.  And  Avhen  their 
despised  brother  was  lord  of  all  the  land,  and  they 
were  going  away  the  second  time  with  something 
better  than  corn  to  carry  to  their  lather,  they  had 
need  of  the  admonition,  "  See  that  ye  fall  not  out  by 
the  way."  ^ 

The  twelve  tribes  were  no  better  than  the  twelve 
patriarchs.  Jealousy  and  envy  manifested  themselves 
in  the  wilderness,  and  ripened  at  last  into  an  open 
and  successful  rebellion  in  Canaan ;  and  for  more  than 
two  hundred  years  there  were  two  kings  and  two 
kingdoms  in  the  Holy  Land;  and  from  the  beginning 
to  the  end  of  their  history,  the  mutual  relation  of 
Israel  and  Judah  is  expressed  in  the  recorded  fact 
that,  "There  w^as  war  between  Rehoboam  and  Jero- 
boam all  their  days."^ 

Even  the  twelve  apostles  who  sat  together  at  the 
Saviour's  feet  often  "disputed  among  themselves  who 
should  be  the  greatest."  ^  And  the  best  of  them  all 
seems  to  have  been  the  most  bigoted  and  sectarian; 
for  he  would  rather  that  a  poor  man  should  go  pos- 
sessed with  a  devil  all  his  days,  than  that  one  not  be- 
longing to  Christ's  company  should  cure  liim  :  "John 
answered  and  said.  Master  we  saw  one  casting  out 
devils  in  thy  name :  and  we  forbade  him,  because  he 
followetli  not  with  us."  ^ 

1  Gen.  xlv.  24.  2  i  Kings  xiv.  30. 

3  Mark  ix.  34.  *  Luke  ix.  49. 


426  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

During  the  pentecostal  revival,  the  church  was 
perfectly  united  for  the  first  time  in  its  history:  "The 
multitude  of  them  that  believed  were  of  one  heart 
and  of  one  soul."^  But  this  was  the  last  time  the 
church  Avas  perfectly  united,  as  well  as  the  first  time. 
Those  days  of  heaven  on  earth  were  very  few;  before 
the  showers  of  blessings  ceased,  the  fraternal  spirit 
waxed  cold,  and  in  a  little  Avhile,  the  brethren  began 
to  "bite  and  devour  one  another."^  At  Antioch  Paul 
Avithstood  Peter  to  his  face,  "because  he  was  to  be 
blamed."'  In  going  about  to  preach  the  gospel  of 
love,  Paul  and  Barnabas  could  not  "keep  the  unity 
of  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace ; "  *  "  and  the  con- 
tention was  so  sharp  between  them,  that  they  de- 
parted asunder  one  from  the  other." '^  The  church  of 
Corinth  was  a  house  divided  against  itself,  every  one 
of  them  was  saying,  "I  am  of  Paul;  and  I  of  Apollos; 
and  I  of  Cephas ;  and  I  of  Christ ; "  ^  and  some  of  the 
other  churches  which  were  planted  by  the  apostles 
were  scarcely  any  better. 

And  these  divisions  and  contentions  have  continued 
down  to  the  present  day.  The  Roman  soldiers  would 
not  rend  the  Saviour's  robe;  but  His  own  friends  have 
torn  the  garment  of  His  salvation  into  more  than 
a  hundred  fragments  and  divided  it  among  them- 
selves. There  are  I  know  not  how  many  denomina- 
tions agreeing  mainly  in  the  essential  truths  of  the 
gospel,  but  differing  just  enough  to  keep  up  a  con- 
stant   irritation.     All    along    the    narrow    way   may 

J  Acts  iv.  32.  2  Gal.  v.  15.  3  Gal.  ii.  11. 

4  Epli.  iv.  3.  5  Acts  XV.  39.  «  i  Cor.  i.  12. 


OUR  HEAVENLY  HOME.  42/ 

be  seen  the  rival  mountains  of  Zion  and  Gerizim, 
crowned  with  their  threatening  tow^ers,  frowning  de- 
fiantly on  each  other:  and  "The  Jews  have  no  deal- 
ings Avith  the  Samaritans."^ 

But  when  at  last  the  children  shall  reach  their  Fa- 
ther's house  in  heaven,  they  will  love  one  another 
more.  Once  within  the  mansions  built  of  grace  and 
beautified  with  glory,  their  party  names  and  petty 
difierences  Avill  be  all  forgotten.  Their  hatred,  vari- 
ance, emulations,  wrath,  strife,  seditions,  heresies,  en- 
vyings,  and  such  like  works  of  the  flesh  shall  be  left 
behind  them,  and  all  the  members  of  the  family  shall 
be  altogether  lovely.  In  the  pillar  or  door-post  so 
elegant  and  even,  so  straight  and  smooth,  and  "pol- 
ished after  the  similitude  of  a  palace,"  "^  you  will  hard- 
ly be  able  to  recognize  the  rough  and  crooked  cedar 
that  you  used  to  know ;  nor  will  there  be  any  thing 
strange  in  taking  sweet  counsel  with  those  who  were 
not  congenial  on  the  earth. 

Love's  own  country  will  be  large  enough  for  Abra- 
ham and  Lot,  and  there  will  be  no  strife  between 
them  concerning  the  green  pastures  of  Paradise. 
John  Avill  be  just  like  Jesus  at  the  marriage  supper 
in  the  marriage  mansion;  and  should  he  see  some  of 
the  inhospitable  Samaritans  there,  he  will  have  no  de- 
sire to  call  down  fire  "and  consume  them."'  Peter 
and  Paul  Avill  be  "  both  righteous  before  God,  walk- 
ing in  all  the  commandments  and  ordinances  of  the 
Lord  blameless."  *     Paul  and  Barnabas  "  shall  see  eye 

1  John  iv.  9.  2  Ps.  cxliv.  12. 

3  Luke  ix.  54.  *■  Luke  i.  6. 


428  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

to  eye,"  ^  and  have  no  contention  forever.  The  mem- 
bers of  the  chm'ch  of  Cormth  shall  be  "  perfectly 
joined  together  in  the  same  mind  and  in  the  same 
judgment."^  "The  envy  also  of  Ephraim  shall  de- 
part, and  the  adversaries  of  Jndah  shall  be  cnt  off; 
Ephraim  shall  not  envy  Judah,  and  Judah  shall  not 
vex  Ephraim."  ^ 

No  angry  word,  no  unkind  look,  no  evil  thought, 
■will  ever  be  lieard,  or  seen,  or  entertained  in  heaven. 
There  the  Elder  Brother's  prayer  will  be  answered, 
"That  they  all  may  be  one:  as  thon  Father,  art  in 
me,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  us."  * 
Thrice  happy  family!  "There  is  neither  Jew  nor 
Greek,  there  is  neither  bond  nor  free,  there  is  nei- 
ther male  nor  female:  for  ye  are  all  one  in  Christ 
Jesus." ' 

Heaven  is  a  spacious  home,  "  In  my  Father's  house 
are  many  mansions."  If  we  should  take  a  survey  of 
the  present  generation,  we  Avould  be  surprised  at  the 
fewness  of  the  saints.  The  way  to  heaven  is  narrow, 
and  in  it  there  is  only  here  and  there  a  traveller. 
But  the  way  to  heaven  was  always  narrow,  and  in 
every  generation  the  saints  were  few  in  comparison 
of  those  Avho  loved  not  the  Lord:  "Narrow  is  the 
way  which  leadeth  unto  life,  and  few  there  be  that 
find  it."^  Because  the  Churcli  is  spoken  of  "as  the 
lily  among  thorns,"'  and  as  a  "little  flock"*  in  the 

J  Isa.  lii.  8.  2  I  Cor.  i.  10. 

3  Isa.  xi.  13.  ■»  John  xvii.  21. 

5  GaL  iii.  28.  e  Mat.  vii.  14. 

'  Cant.  ii.  2.  a  Luke  xii.  32. 


OUR  HEAVENLY  HOME.  429 

midst  of  ravening  wolves,  some  people  have  come  to 
think  that  the  lost  will  be  more  in  number  than  the 
saved ;  and  that  hell  is  a  larger  place  than  heaven. 

And  though  it  may  seem  such  a  vain  and  foolish 
thing  for  us  to  speculate  about  the  probable  number 
of  the  saved  and  lost,  as  if  we  were  standing  on  the 
deck  of  a  sinking  ship,  and  counting  those  who 
escape  safe  to  land,  and  those  who  perish,  and  then 
comparing  them  with  each  other, — yet  after  all  Ave 
can  not  help  sa3dng  that,  in  our  opinion,  the  number 
of  the  saved  Avill  be  much  greater  than  the  number  of 
the  lost.  The  Captain  of  our  salvation  in  one  place 
is  spoken  of  as  "bringing  many  sons  unto  glory ;"^ 
and  in  another  place,  as  "  reconciling  the  world  unto 
Himself; "  ^  and  better  yet,  we  read  in  another  place, 
that  "He  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins;  and  not  for 
ours  only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world:"' 
and  tliere  is  a  proper  scripture  sense  in  wdiich  it  may 
be  said  that  the  world  shall  be  saved. 

In  striving  for  the  mastery,  the  Saviour  will  over- 
come Satan.  AVith  His  bruised  heel  He  shall  bruise 
the  serpent's  head,  and  the  trophies  of  His  grace  shall 
be  multiplied  like  the  drops  of  the  morning  dew.  The 
"remnant  according  to  the  election  of  grace," "*  the 
scanty  few,  the  travellers  here  and  there  along  the 
narrow  way,  when  gathered  all  together,  at  the  home- 
gathering  in  heaven,  will  be  a  goodly  company.  The 
little  flock  shall  become  a  large  flock  in  heaven :  it  is 
a  large  flock  already.     The  little  lambs  alone,  whom 

1  Heb.  ii.  10.  2  II  Cor.  v.  19. 

3  I  John  ii.  2.  <  Rom.  xi.  6. 


430  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

the  good  Shepherd  carried  away  in  His  bosom,  are  so 
numerous  that  no  man  could  count  them.  And  as 
more  than  half  the  human  race  die  in  infancy,  we 
have  a  majority  to  begin  with.  And  if  to  these  we 
add  all  "the  holy  men  of  old,"  since  righteous  Abel 
bent  alone  before  the  throne;  and  then  to  these  all 
those  throughout  the  world  who  are  now  adorning 
the  doctrine  of  God  their  Saviour;  and  then  to  these 
the  saints  of  the  coming  millennium,  the  thousand 
years  of  reigning  righteousness,  it  shall  come  to  pass 
that  the  most  of  mankind  shall  be  saved.  And  so 
there  is  a  needs-be  for  the  many  mansions  in  the 
heavenly  home.  "After  this  I  beheld,  and,  lo,  a 
great  multitude,  which  no  man  could  number,  of 
all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  people,  and  tongues, 
stood  before  the  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb,  clothed 
with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands."  ^ 

They  are  quite  mistaken  in  their  contracted  con- 
ceptions of  heaven,  and  have  no  proper  sympathy 
with  its  catholic  spirit,  who  look  upon  it  as  the  meet- 
ing place  of  a  sect:  a  little  upper  room  where  a  small 
party  shall  be  gathered  together  in  close  communion. 
The  New  Jerusalem  has  been  seen  and  measured ;  and, 
believe  me,  it  is  big  enough  for  every  body.  And  as 
we  glance  at  the  glorious  home  to  which  we  are 
going,  Ave  can  not  help  praying  that  there  may  be 
a  full  heaven  and  an  empty  hell.  "He  carried  me 
away  in  the  spirit  to  a  great  and  high  mountain,  and 
showed  me  that  great  city,  the  holy  Jerusalem,  de- 
scending out  of  heaven  from  God,  having  the  glory 
1  Kev.  vii.  9. 


OUR  HE  A  VENL  V  HOME.  43 1 

of  God:  and  her  light  was  like  tmto  a  stone  most 
precious,  even  like  a  jasper  stone,  clear  as  crystal; 
and  had  a  wall  great  and  high,  and  had  twelve  gates, 
and  at  the  gates  twelve  angels,  and  names  written 
thereon,  which  are  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes 
of  the  children  of  Israel :  on  the  east  three  gates ;  on 
the  north  three  gates;  on  the  south  three  gates;  and 
on  the  west  three  gates.  And  the  wall  of  tlie  city 
had  twelve  foundations,  and  in  them  the  names  of 
the  twelve  apostles  of  the  Lamb.  And  he  that  talked 
with  me  had  a  golden  reed  to  measure  the  city,  and 
the  gates  thereof,  and  the  wall  thereof  And  the 
city  lieth  foursquare,  and  the  length  is  as  large  as 
the  breadth :  and  he  measured  the  city  with  the 
reed,  twelve  thousand  fin-longs.  The  length  and  the 
breadth  and  the  height  of  it  are  equal.  And  he 
measured  the  wall  thereof,  a  hundred  and  forty  and 
four  cubits,  according  to  the  measure  of  a  man,  that 
is,  of  the  angel."  ^ 

You  will  notice  that  the  same  number  of  gates  into 
the  new  city  open  toAvard  every  quarter  of  the  globe. 
"On  the  east  three  gates;  on  the  north  three  gates; 
on  the  south  three  gates;  and  on  the  west  three 
gates."  And  may  we  not  entertain  the  hope  that 
every  quarter  of  the  globe  shall  be  equally  repre- 
sented among  the  redeemed  who  shall  walk  those 
golden  streets?  "I  say  unto  you,  That  many  shall 
come  from  the  east,  and  west,  and  shall  sit  down 
with  Abraham  and  Isaac  and  Jacob  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven."^     "I  will  say  to  the  north.  Give  up;  and 

»  Rev.  xxi.  10-17.  2  Mat.  viii.  11. 


432  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

to  the  south,  Keep  not  back :  bring  my  sons  from  far, 
and  my  daughters  from  the  ends  of  the  earth."  ^ 

The  time  Avas  when  but  one  of  these  mansions  was 
occupied ;  righteous  Abel  was  for  many  years  the  only 
saint  in  heaven.  When,  therefore,  the  new  song  was 
first  sung  in  the  new  city,  it  was  a  solo ;  but  that  song 
which  Avas  started  by  a  single  voice  soon  became  a 
chorus,  and  the  volume  of  that  chorus  has  been  in- 
creasing ever  since,  and  it  will  Avax  louder  and  louder, 
till  time  shall  end.  "  I  heard  as  it  Avere  the  voice  of  a 
great  multitude,  and  as  the  voice  of  many  Avaters,  and 
as  the  voice  of  mighty  thunderings,  saying.  Alleluia : 
for  the  Lord  God  omnipotent  reigneth,"^  For  this 
countless  throng,  Ave  rejoice  to  kuoAv  there  is  room 
enough  in  heaA^en. 

"In  my  Father's  house  are  many  mansions."  What 
a  blessed  truth  this  is !  What  if  we  do  not  knoAv 
Avhere  heaven  is !  what  if  Ave  can  not  tell  the  exact 
number  of  those  Avho  shall  go  there !  what  if  there 
be  so  many  things  about  it  that  Ave  do  not  under- 
stand! there  is  this  one  thing  about  it,  beautifully 
plain  and  heart -touching,  the  mansions  are  many. 
Oh  hoAV  SAveet  it  sounds!  there  is  room  enough  for 
all  the  Avorld  in  heaven.  The  vacant  mansions  are 
not  so  many  as  they  Avere,  because  a  goodly  number 
have  been  taken ;  others  are  spoken  for.  And  day  and 
night  Avithout  ceasing,  a  blood-Avashed,  white-robed, 
and  palm-bearing  procession  is  pressing  through  the 
gates  into  that  glorious  home,  "yet  there  is  room."=' 
There  is  room  enough  for  you,  and  room  enough  for 
1  Isa.  xliii.  6.  2  Rev.  six.  6.  3  Luke  xiv.  22. 


O  UR  HE  A  VENL  V  HOME.  433 

me,  and  room  enough  for  all  the  world  in  heaven. 
And,  better  still,  by  the  grace  of  God,  some  of  us  are 
on  the  way,  and  some  of  us  are  almost  there — almost 
home.  The  aromatic  atmosphere  is  evidence  enough 
that  Ave  are  among  tlie  mountains  of  myrrh  and  the 
hills  of  frankincense  along  the  border  of  the  better 
country:  and  in  the  night  we  can  see,  gleaming 
through  the  darkness,  the  light  of  the  celestial  city 
and  of  our  Father's  house.  Yes,  blessed  be  God,  we 
are  almost  home.  And  such  a  home !  a  home  so 
happy;  a  home  so  beautiful;  a  home  so  abiding;  a 
home  so  peaceful;  a  home  so  spacious. 

i'  0  my  sweet  home,  Jerusalem  ! 
Thy  joys  wheu  shall  I  see  ?  " 

There  are,  doubtless,  some  of  you  who  have  no 
home  in  heaven;  no  Father  there,  nor  Brother.  And 
I  can  not  close  without  saying  that  you  may  have 
all  these  freely  and  forever.  Some  of  these  beautiful 
mansions,  at  which  we  have  been  looking,  are  to  let; 
and,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  am  one  of  those  agents 
whose  business  it  is  to  rent  them  to  you,  or  any  body 
else.  Nay,  I  am  one  of  those  servants  to  whom  the 
Landlord  hath  said,  "  Go  out  into  the  highways  and 
hedges,  and  compel  them  to  come  in,  that  my  house 
may  be  filled."  ^ 

•  Dearly  beloved  and  longed-for,  if  you  Avould  like 
to  have  such  a  house,  and  secure  such  a  home,  I  now, 
in  my  INIaster's  name,  offer  you  the  lease :  a  lease  not 
for  a  year,  nor  for  a  term  of  years,  but  for  eternity ; 
'  Luke  xiv.  23. 


434  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES. 

a  lease  "  without  money  and  without  price."  ^  Come 
to  Jesus  just  now,  and  just  as  you  are;  His  cross  is 
the  key,  and  Himself  is  the  door:  "By  me  if  any  man 
enter  in,  he  shall  be  saved."  ^  AVould  that  I  could 
persuade  you  to  take  the  first  look  heavenward  to- 
day !  Would  that  I  could  constrain  you  to  take  the 
first  step  homeward  to-day !  Then  your  heaven  would 
be  more  than  two  heavens  for  me,  and  your  home 
would  be  more  than  two  homes  for  me :  "  For  God  is 
my  record,  how  greatly  I  long  after  you  all  in  the 
bowels  of  Jesus  Christ."^ 

When  La  Fayette  made  his  last  visit  to  this  country, 
our  fathers  gave  him  a  right  royal  reception.  A  gaily 
decorated  fleet  sailed  down  the  bay  to  meet  him ;  com- 
ing within  hailing  of  his  ship,  all  the  bands  of  music 
began  to  play  the  favorite  French  air,  "Where  can 
one  better  be,  than  in  the  bosom  of  his  family."  The 
venerable  man  acknowledged  the  compliment  with 
courtesy,  but  manifested  no  emotion.  As  he  came 
ashore,  the  land  and  water  were  trembling  to  the 
thunder  of  artillery,  old  soldiers  of  the  Revolution 
saluted  him  with  tears,  and  all  the  people  shouted — 
"  Welcome,  welcome.  La  Fayette !  "  but  still  the  noble 
marquis  remained  unmoved.  AVith  waving  banners, 
and  under  triumphal  arches,  he  was  conducted  to 
Castle  Garden,  where  many  of  the  great  men  of  the 
nation  Avere  gathered  to  do  him  honor;  yet  all  this 
while  he  remained  unmoved.  But  just  as  soon  as 
he  had  taken  his  seat  in  a  marquee  which  had  been 
prepared  for  him,  a  curtain  Avas  lifted,  revealing  a 
1  Isa.  Iv.  1.  2  John  X.  9.  ^  phu.  i.  8. 


OUR  HEAVENLY  HOME.  435 

representation  of  La  Grange  where  he  was  born  and 
brought  up ;  and  when  he  saw  the  shadow  of  the  old 
family  mansion  and  his  own  sweet  home,  the  great 
man's  great  heart  was  touched  into  tenderness,  and 
he  bowed  his  head,  buried  his  face  in  his  hands,  and 
wept  like  a  child. 

To  those  of  you  who  are  away  from  home,  what 
shall  I  more  say?  what  can  I  more  say?  With  pleas- 
ant thoughts  about  your  Father's  house,  I  have  tried 
to  touch  your  hearts,  and  make  you  homesick,  and 
it  may  be  that  I  have  failed.  But  if  only  I  could 
stretch  out  my  hand  and  draw  aside  the  blue  curtain 
of  the  sky,  and  you  could  get  one  glimpse  of  heaven, 
the  sight  of  your  eyes  would  so  affect  your  heart,  that 
you  could  not  help  saying,  "I  will  arise  and  go  to  my 
Father."^  And  straightway  your  Father  would  rise 
and  run  down  to  meet  you  here,  and  fall  upon  your 
neck,  and  kiss  you,  and  take  you  up  to  your  heavenly 
home. 

"  Lord,  it  is  done  as  thou  hast  commanded,  and  yet 
there  is  room."^ 

1  Luke  XV.  18.  2  Luke  xiv.  22. 


Lord,  thoii  hast  been  our  dwelling-place  in  all  gen- 
erations. Before  the  mountains  were  brought  forth, 
or  ever  thou  hadst  formed  the  earth  and  the  world, 
even  from  everlasting  to  everlasting,  thou  art  God. 
0  satisfy  us  early  with  thy  mercy ;  that  we  may  re- 
joice and  be  glad  all  our  days.  Make  us  glad  accord- 
ing to  the  days  wherein  thou  hast  afflicted  us,  and 
the  years  wherein  we  have  seen  evil.  Let  thy  work 
appear  unto  thy  servants,  and  thy  glory  unto  their 
children.  And  let  the  beauty  of  the  Lord  our  God 
be  upon  us;  and  establish  thou  the  work  of  our  hands 
upon  us ;  yea,  the  work  of  our  hands  establish  thou  it. 


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history,  he  has  been  very  successful  in  giving  vivid  sketches  of  events  familiar  to  every  reader 
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rich  in  analogies,  overflowing  with  illustrations,  superabundant  in  reflections.  Every  minister 
ought  to  read  Matthew  Henry  entirely  and  carefully  through  once  at  least.  I  venture  to  say 
that  no  better  investment  can  be  made   by  any  minister,  than  that  peerless  exposition." — 

Si'URGEON. 

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"  All  about  Jesus,"  and  uniform  with  it 2.00 

EOURTH   EDITION  OF  "  ALL   ABOUT   JESUS."      I2mo 2.00 

"We  do  not  know  of  a  book  anywhere  that  contains  more  of  the  Bible  in 
solution.  Every  page  abounds  in  happy  and  ingenious  quotations  of  holy 
writ.  It  is  a  glorious  tribute  to  King  Jesus,  which  will  be  eagerly  welcomed 
by  tens  of  thousands  of  his  loving  disciples.  "^Rev.  T.  L.  Cuyler. 

THE  KINGDOM  OF  JUDAH.    By  the  author  of  the  "Wide,  Wide 

World.      i6mo 1.50 

AMONG  THE  TURKS.     By  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hamlin 1.50 

"His  personal  reminiscences  are  simply  charming.  No  novel  is  more 
interesting.  .  .  .  It  is  excellent,  authentic,  instructive  and  intentionally 
impartial."— Christian  Advocate. 

BRIGHTER  THAN  THE   SUN.     A  Life  of  our  Lord.     ByJ.  R. 

Macduff,  D.D.     With  sixteen  full-page  illustrations 3.50 

"It  is  not  so  pretentious  a  book  as  Farrar,  not  so  extensive  a  book  as 
Geikie,  but  we  prefer  it  to  either  for  its  devout  spirit  and  simple  natural- 
ness. .  .  .  The  pictorial  illustrations  are  as  excellent  as  they  are  fresh." 
Christian  at  Work. 

THE  CHRISTIAN'S  HERITAGE  AND  OTHER  SER- 
MONS.    By  the  late  Melancthon  W.  Jacobus,  D.D 1.50 

"The  sermons  are  vigorous,  terse,  original  and  suggestive.  The  portrait 
prefixed  to  the  book  will  recall  to  his  friends  the  outward  appearance  of  one 
whom  to  know  was  to  love." — Christian  at  Work. 

LIFE  OF  REV.  WILLIAM  ARNOT 2.00 

HIDDEN  LIFE.     By  Saphir 1.50 

ABRAHAM  THE  FRIEND  OF  GOD.    By  Dr.  Dykes 1.50 

PINE   NEEDLES.     A  Tale.     By  the  author  of  the  "Wide,  Wide 

World."     i2mo 1.50 


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